The Rune Nauthiz
by Elizabeth Athineu
Summary: A case of mistaken identity leads two intellectuals from different worlds into an adventure to escape the greatest traitor exiled from Asgard; the manipulative evil sorcerer Eldred. Nauthiz, a powerfully deadly stone draws shadows into clear light.
1. Fallen Away

Chapter 1: Fallen Away

Colours and a thousand thoughts swirled around the falling immortal. This anomaly was completely new to any of the nine realms, but with all of the memories clouding Loki's mind this felt somehow familiar. Part of him wished the solid earth would finally find him even if it meant breaking every bone he had; once in view, he knew he could center himself and morph to landing carefully as he had done the last time. This time was different and part of him feared that he would not live through it despite immortal power. Unfortunately the rainbow cloud was making vision and clear thought nearly impossible. He cursed inwardly, fleetingly, for not using magic sooner and simply falling. His thoughts drew back to his family for a moment, such as they were. He knew he would see his brother again, but could not be sure about his father and mother. A twinge of guilt and strange clarity came over him at the thought of his mother. Of all the beings in Asgard, she had been the only one who had ever truly cared about him . . . at least the only one that he could sense warmth from. As the thought of being without even the slightest possibility of Frigga's kind gaze and loving embrace left him, he noticed that the cloud was beginning to clear.

_Finally_, he thought. _If that had gone on any longer I might have lost my . . . oh dear_.

His thoughts shifted instantly to shock as the ground came into view too close for proper landing. He had fallen too quickly in that cloud. The earth met him harshly, having miscalculated its position in the radioactive cloud. Dust and soil flew into the air along with the few small rocks that weren't jammed uncomfortably into various muscles. After years of physical comfort and emotional pain, the trickster suddenly came to know just how truly awful physical pain without the benefit of healers was. Warriors spoke of pain making one stronger, but this misery couldn't possibly do anything to strengthen. Fortunately unconsciousness took him quickly and the colours, thoughts, and feelings all faded into a peaceful darkness.

(*)

"I'm telling you, just let me configure the satellite one more time. I remember exactly where they went up and you're nowhere near it anymore," Darcy complained. Jane was still furiously fixed on the same position in the night sky and had only until morning when the research would be relocating to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and she seemed to be completely ignoring the fact that the sky over the other realm had probably moved which made their sky the constant. She frowned at her partner and pseudo friend who still wasn't listening to anything she had to say. It had been three days since the stranger Thor had disappeared back into the sky with his friends following a disturbing incident that Darcy still couldn't explain. Jane didn't make eye contact and kept staring at the screen while Darcy frowned and shook her head. "I know what I'm talking about, too, you know."

"Just let me do this; he said he was going to return and I need to find that wormhole again," Jane muttered. Darcy looked at her with concern. Jane was usually a little hyper-focused and didn't like the idea of not having a fellow astrophysicist as her partner or understudy which Darcy shrugged to the side as being one of her quirks. Darcy had originally been a nursing student who had moved into studying health technology which eventually led to the billboard with the notice for the needed assistant to work with Jane's research. Darcy had always felt a little on the outside being stranded in the middle of a dessert with two astrophysicists. Biologists and physicists belonged to two different families and neither got along well with the other without ignoring a few quirks here and there. Jane sighed and closed her eyes for a moment looking back at her assistant apologetically. "I'm sorry, I know we haven't been on task. I just have to do this. Mr. Selvig is still working on the truck, maybe he could use some help."

Darcy frowned. "I'm a geek, not a mechanic," she replied with a slight tone of irritation. She wanted to stay indoors and had said very little about how much she really didn't like the harsh, stark landscape and the extreme temperatures. Jane tried to smile a little and placed a hand on her friend's. Darcy looked at her with concern. "He disappeared with those others talking about things he needed to do. Something about stopping his brother and saving his home. What if he can't come back? What if it takes a really long time?"

Jane stared back in stunned silence. The thoughts had briefly crossed her mind, but she had preferred to keep focused on finding the wormhole and bringing Thor back. She shook her head and turned back to the screen. "He said he was coming back, Darcy, and given that our entire purpose for being out here has been centered around that wormhole, I need to keep at this either way," she said firmly. "He'll come back, we'll finish our research, and you can go back to pre-med or wherever you need to go after this."

"I'm not a medical student, I work with electronics," Darcy corrected. It didn't register and she could tell that Jane was more interested in the screen readings than in what she had to say at the moment. The girl shook her head and moved toward the door leading away from the makeshift lab. "I'm going out for some fresh air, do you need anything?"

Jane waved a hand in the air. "I'm good, you take some time off for a while," she said kindly.

Darcy nodded, but said nothing as she opened the door and turned to look out at the barren dessert. She crossed her arms and looked up at the sky wishing that the cloud and Thor would suddenly reappear. She had been very taken with the immortal during his time on the planet despite having electrocuted him. He was handsome, strong, and interested in Jane, but Darcy felt a strong connection and felt safe in his presence. She sighed and glanced around the area, trying to think of something to keep her busy while all of this came to a halt. Out in the distance, something stirred in the sky that made her think she might have been asleep. It appeared to be the tail end of the very wormhole that Jane was looking for, but it clearly hadn't been on the map when she left. She narrowed her eyes and moved an inch closer. She felt panic begin to form in her chest as she realized that she was definitely awake and the outline of yet another person was falling to earth at an accelerated rate. She gasped as the figure collided with the ground making a distant crashing sound that could not have been pleasant. Without another thought, she raced forward.

She couldn't be exactly sure of how far she ran to reach the individual, but it did seem odd that she had managed to cover what had seemed like at least a mile in the blink of an eye. She panted heavily as she skidded to a halt in the cloud of debris that had surged as impact was made. She knelt immediately and instinctively felt for the edge of the figure or crater, whichever had been left for her to feel. She coughed and gagged, trying to see through the dirt, but unable to make out even the slightest image. Her mind raced and she thought about how Thor had arrived in the first place. Had he returned just as violently? "Thor? Is that you?" she coughed.

His brother's name, he could hear it through the cloud of dust as the short-lived darkness faded. As his head cleared, Loki suddenly wondered if he had indeed broken every bone in his body. He had never felt such pain before and the impact had made it nearly impossible to breathe. After a few brief seconds of centering himself and collecting his thoughts, he found himself able to open his eyes and listen. He heard someone calling his brother's name, a woman. He wasn't able to recall for the moment by face which of the mortals had been the proverbial golden apple of his brother's eye. He knew her name, but it could have gone with one of two faces that he had seen trying to help him. The voice called to his brother again.

_Perfect_, he thought. _A captive will work more to my advantage now than anything_.

The mortal's hand brushed his shoulder and a twinge of fear moved through him. He couldn't move at the moment and being completely helpless was not something he was used to. His eyes spun as he felt the mortal lean over him. She coughed twice and looked down at him. She had dark hair and piercing blue eyes that nearly matched his own. He gasped for breath, trying to summon the strength to sit upright as she looked down at him.

"Sir, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Darcy asked repeatedly after realizing that this was definitely not Thor, but he certainly had clothing that looked similar to the other four that had come to earth after him. She instinctively felt for a pulse at his neck and leaned down to listen for breathing. She heard his lungs struggling to draw in air and she quickly reached down, taking him by both shoulders and trying to lift him to sitting upright. While Darcy had yet to complete the journalism program at UCLA and had switched to political science after a very brief stint with nursing, she remembered quite a bit about the CPR and First Aid courses. It took some doing, but she managed to bring him to sitting upright, causing air to finally rush in where it was needed.

Loki felt his chest burn as air filled it once more and vowed silently to never, ever lose his balance again even for a distraction. He groaned and did his best to ignore the pain surging through every limb. The mortal held him, tightly and deliberately, and he noticed a strong warmth pulsing from her heart. It's rhythm was similar to Frigga's and the thought made him pine for home for a fleeting moment; he had been many places in secret but had never been in the position of being unable to return home before. He breathed deeply and felt blood pooling back where it was needed. Movement returned slowly as the mortal instructed him to breathe, which he felt a little unnecessary and irritating given the notion that all living things need to breathe. Once centered, he thought of how best to act. This hadn't been his immediate intention, but it certainly seemed like something he could benefit from.

"You look like you just got hit by a train," Darcy said appraising him as best she could. He wasn't a comparison to Thor or the four that had come after him; no rippling musculature or flowing hair. His entire presence seemed dark and shifty, or perhaps that was just the night casting shadows. She looked around as the dust settled and heard a small tone coming from her cell phone. She sighed deeply and scooted back for a moment, keeping one hand on the stranger comfortingly. The number was Selvig's, not the lab's. She sighed and reached down, lifting the screen on the phone and putting it to her ear. "Mr. Selvig, before you say anything, I need you to come out here right now or send someone outside right now. You won't believe what's happened and I think that I might have found another one of Thor's friends. He just landed in a heap in the dessert."

Loki's eyes widened. Not good; the last thing he needed was others coming to assist. Mortals were easy enough to handle, but in large groups they were menace and in this case a threat. No doubt all of the other mortals were being watched by Heimdall and, while he could cloak himself for several moments from the gate-keeper, he could not hide a concerned mob. He narrowed his gaze and willed the air around them to shift, diverting all magnetic waves to the object she was holding.

"Mr. Selvig? Mr. Selvig are you there?" Darcy asked hurriedly. She had heard the line go silent in mid-sentence. She pulled the phone away and looked down at it. The screen was blank and dark as if the battery had suddenly died. She groaned. "Darn it; I had two gigs worth of data saved on this thing and all my preferences." Darcy quickly put the phone down and turned back to the man that she had found. He seemed to be breathing and sitting normally for the time being. She smiled. "Well, it might take them a few minutes, but they'll be out here. Don't worry; we'll take good care of you. You're starting to look much better now. I guess those isotopes and whatever in that cloud cushions you guys or you'd all be dead." He turned and looked directly into her eyes silently. This must have been the one, a young woman who studied the fields of science known to mortals. She looked at him in growing concern. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Not important," he replied quickly, taking her by both shoulders. "But don't worry; I'll take good care of _**you**_." Darcy looked back in shock as a cruel grin crossed his features. She let out a small cry, dropping the phone on the ground, as the two disappeared.


	2. The Immortal Realm

Chapter 2: The Immortal Realm

Darcy couldn't explain what had happened or if she had truly experienced it. She breathed deeply as her senses came back and she could tell where she was at the moment. If she could believe every piece of data being fed to her by the five physical senses, she was definitely not in Kansas, or rather New Mexico, for the time being. She tried to think about what could have possibly happened to her to cause such a confusing vision. Had something suddenly hit her on the head? If it had fallen fast enough she might not have felt the impact. Maybe the stresses of having to relocate suddenly with all of the emotional tension in the lab were finally catching up with her. Either way, she couldn't tell exactly where she was, but she could see greenery and trees. She heard the chirping of birds, but nothing familiar. In the short time she had spent abroad in France and England with schoolmates, Darcy had learned to listen to the sounds of birds to tell which part of the country she was in which led to listening to American birds just as carefully. She frowned. Was her mind really able to fabricate so clearly something she had never heard before?

"Correct me if I am wrong, mortal, though I don't see that as being the case in any realm, but are you not called Jane?" she heard someone say. That voice, it was the stranger that had landed in the dessert. She turned slowly, realizing that while she was sitting on the forest floor, he was standing and looking completely unscathed. He must have been from the same realm as Thor, but he seemed different in a very frightening way. Even in the light, the dark and shifty aura was still around him. She stared at him, exasperated. "Well?"

"Where am I?" she asked softly.

"How dare you," Loki replied angrily. "I asked you a question woman, now answer me."

"This is a nightmare, not a regular dream," she reasoned aloud. Loki raised one brow reproachfully. Darcy closed her eyes and placed either hand on the sides of her head. "That makes sense. Nightmares include more fabricated images than normal dreams. It's stress; I need some power-down time."

"Answer me," he demanded louder than before.

Darcy trembled and tried to think of the best way through a stress-induced nightmare. There had to be some sort of system to navigating her own mind even while experiencing deep sleep. "This is a representation of something I've seen somewhere else, I just need to figure out the message and move on to the next image. That's it," she reasoned aloud. Loki narrowed his eyes at the girl as she stood and steadied herself against one of the trees. "Let me think, when was the last time I thought about ecology. I haven't finished that Al Gore book, maybe this is about all that recycling I just tossed. I need to get some more digital info on greening and dreams. Darn, I should've read an e-guide to nightmares."

"If you are trying to convince yourself that this is a dream, you are more than welcome to do so, but I assure you that if you do not answer me that the nightmare has yet to begin," he said with anger building even more in his voice. His limbs still ached terribly and he was sure that he was bleeding in more than one place. He needed to get to a healer as soon as possible and was sure that the sorcerer, Eldred, would have heard him return by now. He had briefly discussed a recourse if things went wrong in kingship and they had gone terribly wrong. He and Eldred had spent many years in the forests of Asgard studying magic dark and ancient. Perhaps the sorcerer could heal this. The girl didn't seem to respond with more than a glance back in his direction. "Is your name Jane or is it not?"

Darcy looked back at him, now beginning to think that not only was this real, but that she was in equally real danger. Thor had stood against that fire-shooting suit of armor in an attempt to stop his brother from destroying the town. Was his brother still dangerous; more importantly, was his brother evil? She took a step away from the tree and tried to get a better sense of whether or not he meant her harm. "Um, sir, if I say that it isn't Jane are you going to hurt me, or her, or both of us?" she asked cautiously.

"I expect so, yes to all of that, but the chances of harm coming to increase with each second that I do not have an answer from you," he retorted taking a few steps closer to her.

Darcy frowned and bit her lip anxiously. Whoever this was, they wanted to hurt Jane and they were obviously equipped to do so. If this wasn't a dream, then she needed to do something before Jane got into some serious trouble. She thought for a moment. She could tell this psychopath 'no' and probably be killed which would likely lead him to killing Jane as well, or she could lie and say 'yes' dealing with whatever consequences firsthand. She hadn't known Jane for very long, but they were still friends. Besides, friends or not it was wrong to let someone else meet with harm. Then again it was also wrong to lie. She shuddered as he took one more step toward her. "I'm Jane, I'm Dr. Jane Foster," she lied. The man stopped moving and stared harshly at her. She glanced away anxiously, realizing that she had made a small, albeit important error in lying. "I mean, I'm going to be a doctor. I'm writing my dissertation on the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox. I mean, Einstein-Rosen bridge . . ." she stammered as he made three strides closer, standing only an arm's length away and looking at her with an emotion that she couldn't read. He seemed angry, but satisfied all at once. "You know that, wormhole thing you fell through."

"And how does it feel, Jane Foster, to know that the man you thought you loved, the mighty Thor, has abandoned you?" he asked slowly. The deliberate words made Darcy think that the idea this was his brother was more than a hunch; only a sibling or a lover could be this jealous of someone else's happiness. "To know that every night you spend alone he knows where you are and how to find you, but chooses not to."

"Is that really what's happened?" Darcy asked, this time in genuine concern. As much as she wanted to protect her friend, she also didn't see Thor being a complete tool. He seemed to get all the angrier at her words, as if challenging the notion was a personal insult aimed entirely at him. She decided to change the subject immediately if that was possible. "Wait, you still haven't told me who you are. What's your name and what do you want with me?"

"My apologies," he said, his demeanor leaning more towards satisfied and disturbingly excited than angry now. He nodded toward her. "I am Loki Odinson, once king of all Asgard and dethroned by my miserable excuse for a brother."

"Oh, so you two aren't on speaking terms and now that he's got girlfriend you want to be a jock-blocker is that it?" Darcy asked. He gave her a confused look. She remembered reading the name in Mr. Selvig's book from the library, but it hadn't talked about an internal struggle between the two brothers. Then again, it hadn't said much that she remembered all that well. At the time she had been just as fascinated with the sight of Thor and having been inside a wormhole itself that she hadn't thought she was reading anything of great importance. She tried to recall the pages she had read and another title popped into her mind. "Wait a minute, you're the trickster, right?"

"Don't you dare refer to me in such a common manner," he hissed back. Darcy's eyes widened at his response and she leaned against the tree behind her as he advanced. Loki had been given the nickname as a cruel jest by most of the Asgardians. While the fair people of the immortal realm favored all things strong and physical, the other half of Odin's line had been awkward and without the same brute force as those around him. Even the women in the palace had formidable appearances compared to him, or at least that was the rumor that had circulated since his childhood. He hated the nicknames and jests shared by the guards and others that he and his brother had trained with. They would all see how powerful he truly was, all of them. He leaned over the mortal, asserting how much taller, which was only a foot or so, and how much more powerful he was. The girl was trembling and looked away in fear. This was most satisfying for the time being. "You do not have the right to repeat such nonsense!"

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I thought that was just part of who you are," Darcy stammered. Treading softly was not going to be easy around this guy and she was beginning to think that Thor's strange and almost barbaric behavior when they had first met was the only way to get by with a family that was entirely crazy. "I didn't mean to say anything hurtful."

The wounds became all the more painful and Loki wandered if he needed to find a way to a healer safely. Eldred must have heard him return, but he couldn't understand what was taking him so long. He drew in a deep breath and leaned against the tree with one hand beside the girl. He tried his best to hide the pained expression, but even Darcy could detect that some part of him had malfunctioned and that it was extremely unpleasant. He centered himself and answered the rest of Darcy's question. "As for what I want with you, my ends are my secrets and that is part of what makes me superior to my brother," he replied angrily. Darcy looked into his face, seeing his eyes glow a strange ochre. He reached out with the other hand and grabbed her shoulder firmly, pulling her to him. "But this will suffice for now, and you may remember this should you ever find your way back to him." With that, and Darcy was very unsure of what had prompted it, he pressed his lips against hers passionately and deeply.

Darcy was sure that the passion and depth came more from a desire for vengeance after listening to his semi-evil short monologue, but it didn't matter; he was good at it. She hadn't been as given to intimacy, being so engrossed in her studies, but this was definitely something worth sharing and repeating. Maybe this guy was a complete head case with fuses lit at both ends, but she felt a spark ignite with the kiss that was exquisite. He pulled away, breathing deeply and looking back into her eyes to savor the humiliation, but she seemed more satisfied than horrified. He tried to stand upright once more, but something else took him. He wasn't sure how or why, but the darkness that had clouded his senses when colliding with the earth was back and more powerful. He slumped to the ground as Darcy carefully knelt and watched him. Whatever was happening here, she was definitely the strongest and sanest person within a hundred miles . . . again.


	3. Resources

Chapter 3: Resources

"Darcy?" Mr. Selvig called as he closed the truck door behind him. He hadn't needed to drive far to see the imprint in the ground that had been left behind. The imprint was left but both Darcy and the new friend that she had discovered were gone. He furrowed his brow in concern and glanced back at the truck where Jane hesitated in the seat. She waited only a moment more before joining him and calling her name. Even though it was obvious that the girl wasn't hiding behind any wildlife or formations it seemed like the only thing to do at the moment was call to her. Erik Selvig scratched his head and sighed heavily. "Do you think she called for an ambulance?"

"Did you hear a siren? I didn't; besides, she would have mentioned that before hanging up. I think she lost connection because someone else interfered," she replied, looking at the ground carefully for clues. The mysterious phone call and Darcy's disappearance left nothing to investigate but simply the place the call was made from and the last place Darcy could have been seen. Jane gasped and knelt as she saw the image of her assistant's phone partially buried in the dirt. "She would never leave this behind without a weapon pointed at her."

"How could she have been kidnapped in a ten minute window in the middle of nowhere? Who would come out here to commit a crime?" Mr. Selvig added as he looked around the landscape once more with even greater concern.

"People wander out into the dessert regularly to commit crime . . . it's the perfect place to disappear, but I don't think that's what happened," Jane replied. She tried to turn on her friend's phone and look at any information that might help them, but the battery appeared to be malfunctioning. Jane sighed and looked back at her mentor. "What do we do now?"

"File a report with the local authorities, I suppose," he answered growing more anxious with each passing moment.

"That means we have to wait at least two days and we were supposed to leave in three hours," Jane replied unhappily. She grasped the phone tightly. She turned back to her mentor with resolve. If nothing else, having government connections meant having resources at her disposal that she had never been privileged with before and just the thought of it comforted her. Now was definitely the time to start utilizing those resources. "I think we need to let the boys in charge know that our assistant is missing."

(*)

Darcy knelt beside the immortal and, again, felt for a pulse. This time she did not check for responsiveness as she wasn't sure she would know what to say or how to speak to him after the display. She could piece together very little about this situation other than the fact that she had been taken hostage by mistake and that her captor was Thor's brother who had some sort of bone to pick with him about not being able to rule their kingdom. She found the pulse almost immediately, still very palpable although thready and a little off in its rhythm for the moment. If he had landed without the benefit of strength that Thor had then perhaps there had been a great deal of internal damage. Darcy frowned and looked to either side. There was no way to get him to a hospital and that meant no way of determining whether or not there was any hemorrhaging. She heard a few twigs snap behind them and turned quickly to see what was approaching. A larger and older man, though not terribly old in appearance, walked toward them and then suddenly halted. He wore more plain clothing, though still in tones of brown and green, and seemed to have less intensity to him than any of the others she had seen come from this realm. She instinctively reached for her taser and, to her shock, felt it at her side. Her hand grasped it for a moment, but then it jumped from her pocket and flew into the hand of the man approaching. She frowned at him and leaned over Loki protectively.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she demanded.

The man stopped and stared at her blankly for a moment. Then an amused smile moved across his lips and finally he began to laugh. Darcy stared back in confusion as he clapped a few times and continued approaching until he was a mere five or six inches away. "Well you've done it now, haven't you, boy?" the man said in a rich and wonderful voice. It reminded Darcy of old texts and lyrics, the sort of voice born to perform Shakespeare. The man reached down and patted the immortal's arm. "Wake up, you clumsy little snipe. Come on." Loki groaned and shifted, again he found himself barely able to move anything but his eyes. At hearing the man's voice the darkness had faded and now he struggled to sit up once more. "Eldred sent me to send you on to the healing house. He sensed even from this distance that you got yourself too mangled for him to fix."

"Where is Eldred?" Loki asked after finding the strength and mind to make the right words. He sat up, feeling the mortal beside him putting a hand on his shoulder. "Why was he not waiting for me?"

"I suppose he still remembers that he is your master and you are still an apprentice, Loki. He does not answer to you for all things," the man replied, still smiling. "I brought a rune of shadows for the both of you; it will serve as a disguise until you are strong enough to practice magic again. Eldred gave me instruction to tell you to tell the healers that you were caught under a fallen mother tree, apparently the wounds are similar."

"Yes, I would imagine they are. Thank you, Brenhin," he said and tried to stand, still feeling the mortal touching his shoulder. While he didn't think asking out loud would accomplish much, it perplexed him as to why the mortal thought her hand would do him any good or even keep her safe if that was her concern. He shook the thoughts away and brought himself to standing against one of the trees. "It will take a great deal of magic to enter the house as unnoticed as possible. Take this mortal to Eldred and I will join you as soon as possible."

"I'm not taking her with me, Eldred instructed me to give the orders to you and come back. He knows what you've brought with you and was very emphatic about it being your problem to deal with," Brenhin replied firmly. Loki turned and glared at him. Darcy noted that this disturbed the man who quickly nodded. "We await your return in Sylvannheim." The man then instantly transformed into a raven and took flight, cawing as he disappeared into the sky.

Darcy finally stood, wandering what on earth the man had done with her taser especially after transforming. "Unbelievable! That was thirty bucks on e-bay he just flew off with. This is just my week for electronic catastrophe," she complained. She sighed heavily and turned back to her captor. It was odd, but as frightened as she felt something compelled her to stay with him for the moment. Darcy rationalized it as being the fact that she was in a strange place and wouldn't know the first place to go for help especially if all the people here were like the one that had just flown away, magical that is. She folded her arms and tried to think of a way out while she still had the means to do it. She thought for a minute as he clasped both small stones in his hand and winced in pain. An idea crossed her mind that might just have been the answer. "You're still hurt aren't you? You should probably send me back and see a doctor; that would be the best thing for everyone." She knew it didn't sound perfectly reasonable, but she also knew that anyone suffering physical trauma was also extremely receptive to any suggestions. Sadly the physical trauma hadn't rattled enough of him to make him that suggestible. She cleared her throat. "You can always come back for me and this time you can probably land better, maybe even bring someone to help."

"Out of the question," he replied flatly. Without another word he reached out and took her by the arm again. Darcy noticed that his grip was somewhat weaker, but also that this was the best he could manage for the time being. He drew in a deep breath and closed his eyes, clasping the stones tightly. She suddenly felt the grip grow a little stronger and he looked fiercely into her eyes. "You will do as I say while you are with me. You will remain silent where we are going and you will not so much as move without my permission, am I clear?" He noticed concern in her features mostly for her own safety. As long as she was afraid and as long as he could emphasize that fear, then the arrangement was sound. She bit her lip and nodded to him. _Good_, he thought, _at least the rest of this is going smoothly_. He willed their forms to ease into the macrocosm at what Darcy would have referred to as a 'sub-cellular level' and then thought deeply about the house of healing to bring both of them there. Darcy instinctively grasped his arm in return and clutched her jacket with the other hand. They appeared in a dimly lit hallway made of fine marble and trimmed with gold. Loki breathed deeply and felt relief beginning to soothe some of the pain in him. Even terribly injured and dejected, it was good to be home.


	4. Mother Tree

Chapter 4: Mother Tree

As lovely as the building was, Darcy couldn't help but wonder what other evil creatures were here and how she was supposed to protect herself without a taser? This was the first time she had been without protection and she could feel her heartbeat becoming altogether too fast. _Oh God, what have I done_, she thought to herself, _I should've run off while he was down. I'm gonna die and no one will know about it, not even my colleagues_. Her thoughts shifted as she felt her captor suddenly grasp her right arm tightly beneath the shoulder. His grip wasn't tight enough to cause much pain, but it was uncomfortable and becoming more clear that he had no intention of being kind. She swallowed hard at this realization, but congratulated herself on keeping this from happening to Jane. Jane would not have been as submissive and adaptable in this or any other situation. Loki made sure that she acknowledged his authority before walking further down the hallway toward the room he had used before following some of his adventures with his brother. He reached into a hidden pocket and withdrew one of the stones, hoping that the disguise Eldred had placed in them was sound. He turned and glanced in one of the mirrors noting what form the sorcerer had given them. His appeared to be that of a young guard in training, one that had been with the ranks for less than a year meaning that not being recognized would be understandable; a few faux surface wounds had been added to the disguise which would make the story more intense and believable than being superficially unmarred after a tree had fallen on him. The mortal's was of a young woman and he could easily explain that she was his unruly sister or cousin.

He cleared his throat, catching the immediate attention of three of the healers who turned and gasped at the sight of him. Darcy noted that his grip became more harsh and he held his breath for a beat. He glanced back at the mirror making sure the enchantment was still in place, unsure that he could manage to keep a disguise up and running without the stone. The three hurried to both of them and it was at that moment Darcy looked in the mirror and saw the versions of them that the stones created. She gasped and took a step toward the mirror. "Cheese and crackers, is that me?" she whispered. She let out a yelp as the grip on her shoulder did become painful. "Ow! Could you stop that, please?"

Loki pulled her back and glared down at her. "I did not give you permission to speak; be silent," he hissed. She mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' and shrank back a few inches. He released her shoulder a little, feeling pain shooting through his own arm and out through his fingertips trying to keep the grasp on her. He turned back to face the healers as they hesitated a few paces away. "Sacred healers, we are in need of your services. My sister and I were attacked by a brigand and in the process of dispatching him a large mother tree fell upon me. My sister managed to help me pull the tree off of my back, but we are both quite distressed from the ordeal. Please show us your skill and compassion."

The healers smiled and nodded to one another. Darcy looked over at him in surprise. He might have been wicked, but he had a wicked way of speaking as well. She smirked at thinking that it was just possible that Thor's brother was essentially the nerd in his family . . . the well-spoken nerd. The first healer, an older man, stepped forward and gently took Darcy's hand. "Come with me, both of you. You don't look entirely broken, but I can clearly see that you both need rest and relief," he said calmly. "You'll need to start resting at once."

Darcy smiled a little and nodded as the other two approached Loki and began guiding them over a pair of beds. Each of the three looked over them cautiously taking notes of internal and external injuries. Darcy was so amazed by the tapestries, furniture, and décor that she barely noticed what the three were doing and what her captor was being treated for. The first healer whispered something to the other two and then turned to leave the room. The other two removed Loki's leather and chain armor, allowing him to breathe more easily. The first entered the room once again carrying a flask and a container of deep healing salve used to mend damages to muscle and bone as well as skin. While the old healer applied the salve to Loki's wounds, the other two laid a blanket over Darcy and gave her a small dish of water to drink. The trickster watched her expressions and movements carefully. He drew in several sharp breaths and held them briefly as the healer finished applying the salve. It burned and felt as though it was surging through the wounds and forcing the pain to move from one end and out through the other in each bone and muscle.

"That should take care of anything beneath the surface," the healer said, satisfied with his work. He turned to the bedside table and took the flask that he had retrieved in one hand and withdrew a cup from a small cupboard beneath the bedside table. Darcy shifted and watched him pour the opalescent liquid from the flask into the cup. He placed the cup in Loki's hand while the other two put a covering over him just as they had done for Darcy. "Drink this and sleep. I will return in the morning to see how you're getting along."

"Thank you," Loki replied and nodded to the man. The healer nodded in return and then gestured for the other two to follow him out of the room. The trio slipped out of the room silently. The room dimmed slightly as they left and Darcy smiled in surprise. The ambience was perfect for falling asleep immediately. Part of her urged her to stay awake and wait until he was sound asleep before hurrying out of the building and finding help. If one brother was here, then logically the other might be nearby, Darcy's thoughts were so strong that keen senses of the trickster could hear the five potential escape plans she was making. He frowned; Brenhin should have taken the mortal with him. It surpassed disrespect to defy him like this whether or not Eldred had given instructions. Royalty should have trumped professional obligation, but Brenhin seemed more reverent of Eldred than Loki. He wondered if this was because of something Eldred had actually done in Brenhin's presence. The girl's thoughts continued to echo of plans to dart quietly out of the room and get help. He glanced back at the chalice in his hand full of the fluid from the flask. He was familiar with the uses of it and, though he didn't know the potion by name, knew that it could be very helpful in this situation. He stood for a moment and held the chalice out to her. She stared at it in confusion for a moment and then turned back to him. "Drink from this," he commanded. "Now."

"Is it poison?" Darcy asked in genuine concern.

"Of course not. Why would I kill you while I still need you alive?" he retorted, almost insulted that she would think him capable of such waste."Now drink."

Darcy sat upright fully and scooted herself toward the headboard anxiously. "I'm not sure I should," she said softly, unnerved at what might have been sitting in the bottom of the cup.

He glared at her, nostrils flaring once as an emphasis for the lack of patience. "Then you aren't sure you want to return to your home in one piece?" he asked hotly. Darcy's eyes widened and she reached out, quickly taking the chalice from him. She hesitated, staring down at the fluid and trying to analyze it by scent and texture before trying to swallow it. It smelled floral with a hint of something else, something foreign, but resembled what she claimed electricity smelled like. The texture was almost like a swirling cloud in the cup. She wrinkled her nose in disgust as it surged to one side and then moved on its own to the other side. She had eaten some strange cuisine travelling abroad, but the idea of drinking anything that was meant to be used as a medicine for immortals was more than off-putting. Loki grew more and more impatient with each second she hesitated, watching the liquid within contorting seamlessly. He growled and reached out, taking her jaw in one hand and the chalice firmly in the other. She gasped and found herself completely taken by surprise as he poured some of the fluid into her mouth. Before she could react he closed her mouth harshly and clasped his hand over it. "Drink," he commanded.

Darcy tried to breathe calmly, knowing that there really wasn't a way out of the situation for now. She squeezed her eyes closed and swallowed. The fluid, whatever it was, felt as though she were simply swallowing thicker, cool air and tasted as floral as the scent itself. This wasn't, she knew, an act of kindness on his part, but she couldn't be sure what this was supposed to accomplish. This didn't really feel expertly planned, but he did act as if he knew exactly what he wanted. He hadn't taken her somewhere to imprison her and he hadn't attacked her yet; what was it that he His grip relaxed as he felt her swallow a second time. Darcy opened her eyes and shuddered as he pulled his hand back and walked back over to his own bed, sitting on the edge with the chalice. She folded her arms and watched the lighting grow more dim as the sun outside began to set. She looked out the window, quietly admiring the golds and ambers dancing in the sky. As long as she was here, Darcy reasoned, then she might as well enjoy some of the things around her until she could decide how best to make an escape. A fluttering in her chest appeared and disappeared quickly as she realized that she had suddenly become exhausted. _The fluid must have been a sedative of some sort_, she thought. _He'll be drinking the rest and he's been injured which means he should sleep longer than me. I'll just close my eyes for a minute and then wait for him to fall asleep_. No sooner had she closed her eyes then Darcy drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep. The sun set fully over Asgard, but night had barely begun for the two.

(*)

"I really don't like this idea," Jane said. It was essentially repetition and had been going on for several hours. She and Mr. Selvig had been instructed to take all the equipment to a specific small airport and wait for further instruction and transportation by a Mr. Nick Fury. The two had explained the situation with Darcy and were assured that agents would be sent to look for her and investigate at once, though they shouldn't be surprised if their friend, if she had indeed been taken by an assailant, wasn't already hundreds of miles away. Jane unfolded her arms and turned to look out the side window as the dessert sped past. "I still think she found some remnant of that cloud and she's up there with him . . . or someone like him. You said she mentioned she had found one of his friends, didn't she?"

"Jane, Thor lives in Asgard, an alternate realm; do you know what that means?" Mr. Selvig asked with growing irritation at Jane's fretting. She groaned and rolled her eyes, remaining silent. He sighed and spotted the signs leading into the airport. "It means that if she did end up there then we aren't going to find a way to get her back anytime soon. Unless, of course, you think you can take your current findings and create your own two-way portal."

"That's great, Erik, just keep being positive about this it's exactly what I need right now," Jane snapped back.

"It's the truth, Jane. Although we could always assume that she's the next victim of a serial killer," Mr. Selvig offered sarcastically. Jane turned and gave him a harsh look. He smirked. "If you really want to know what I think, I think you are right and that she did find a way there. She'll be back when he returns; does that constitute positive?"

"I guess," Jane muttered, a twinge of jealousy in her voice at thinking that the mousy assistant that could barely keep up with her research might be enjoying Thor's company when she could not. Jane shook her head. That was selfish and immature, besides something must have happened that wasn't all good or she would have had more time to let them know what was going on.

"This is it," Mr. Selvig announced as they drove onto the smoother surface that extended into the parking lot and tarmac of the small airfield. He climbed out of the vehicle admiring the jet that was waiting to take them to the east coast. "Next stop, New York City."

Jane waited for a moment, biting her lip as she continued to think about Darcy and her last few words . . . in this realm. A thought crossed her mind and she darted out of the car, hurriedly placing a hand on her mentor's shoulder. "Erik, do you remember when you told me about that old healer that used to live near the town where you grew up? The one that had visions?" she asked. Mr. Selvig looked back at her silently as if to ask her in return how anyone could forget a visionary healer near the small Norwegian town where they had been born and raised. She sighed and shook her head. "Never mind, you probably do, I was just thinking. What if I could tap into that kind of energy; you know, psychic energy, to contact him and ask if she's there?"

Mr. Selvig laughed heartily at this stopping when he realized that Jane was serious. He frowned. "Do you really think that kind of nonsense is going to help us?" he asked.

"The people in the town didn't think it was nonsense, remember? She even helped cure that one boy's bad heart," she reasoned. He shook his head and turned back to the car, opening the back door to start loading equipment onto the plane. Jane followed suit. "All things in existence are energy; it would work if I focused on the idea that I'm using energy transfer instead of something mystical. Do you think that's possible?"

"Are you interested in what I have to say or do you want me to agree with you?" he retorted as he loaded two of the satellite dishes onto the plane. Jane looked back at him, waiting emotionlessly for a different reply. He reached down and took hold of one more container. "The idea of manipulating dreams takes a great deal of concentration and focus," he said, prompting a small smile from Jane. She took one of the containers and lifted it onto the plane as well. "Do you really think you can do that by yourself? It took our town's healer twenty years before she even started trying to use it as a science."

"It's worth a try," Jane said, suddenly excited at the thought of venturing into one of the metaphysical sciences that correlated to her own field. While it didn't make sense to most in the logical scientific community that astrophysics and psychic healing would be intertwined, Jane had always kept a personal fascination with the imperfect fields of astrology and parapsychology. She had spent so much time fascinated with the stars and planets that she hadn't realized the innate wonder they had awakened in her. The occasional check on her own horoscope and questions about what spiritual aspects there were in her research would pop up every now and again. Hopefully the readings and minute studies she had done in the metaphysical would allow her to speak with Thor while still waiting for him to return. The two finished loading their equipment and then boarded the plane. After settling in, Jane typed in a note to herself on her phone to read upon landing. _Look up science of dreaming, dream communications, and info on Norse myth_, the message read. The thought of Darcy's last few words to her still haunted her. What if he had lost the battle with his brother? What if things were only going to get worse? Jane leaned back against the seat as the screen on the phone went black, matching the sky over them. In just a few hours, she could have the answers she needed to find out what had happened to Darcy and, equally important, why Thor had not yet returned.

(*)

As Darcy slept, Loki remained awake and alert, unsure if drinking the rest of fluid in the chalice was wise at the time. He didn't want to lose control by drifting out of consciousness with an unsecured captive, but he was still miserable from the slowly mending wounds. Not only were the salves burning too greatly to allow him to sleep, but he was also inundated with thought. He breathed deeply and went over the plans he had contrived in a very specific order. The fact that the girl had been concerned about him was amusing and a little off-putting all at once. He glanced over at her, noting that asleep she appeared what any person with perfect vision would consider lovely. It was no wonder that his brother had fallen in love with the maiden; hair woven from the night and fierce blue eyes held in submissive pleasantness by feminine thoughts. It did seem strange that his brother had become enamored with a woman who spent her mind and life devoted to study and knowledge.

He shifted and sat upright, still glancing at the girl and thinking about how marvelous it would be to see the look on Thor's face when he saw her in his custody. In fact, it would be most fulfilling to see the look on his brother's face and Jane's, the girl was lovely asleep and would likely be more lovely horrified. A sound interrupted the immortal's thoughts and he turned toward the door. His eyes widened at the sound of a woman wailing helplessly. He groaned and pulled himself off the bed and walked to the door, leaning against the wall as he listened more carefully. The wailing was desperate and familiar. He drew in a deep breath and, putting aside the searing pain in his limbs, moved into the hallway quietly. As he moved, he gathered enough strength to cloak himself as he drew nearer to the chamber the woman had been taken to. He listened carefully and watched as two servants left the room shaking her head.

"What do you think can be done for her?" the first asked as the rounded the corner and headed down the hall. "Does the king really think that she can be made any better here?"

"She isn't getting better in the palace even with Thor returned," the second replied.

Loki's eyes widened at those words and a wave of shock moved over him. Was his mother in need of healing? He quickly grasped the handle on the door and entered, stopping immediately when he realized that the quivering shell of a woman lying on the bed wailing was, indeed, his mother. He had never seen her like this, not even with Thor banished and his father in the Odinsleep. He felt overwhelmed at this and hurried to the bedside. He looked down at her silently in horror. This was unlike anything he had ever seen before. He knelt beside the bed, still unseen and still in shock at this. Frigga breathed heavily, clutching the bedclothes and pillows to her chest as she wept.

"My baby, my baby!" she wailed. He felt his heart ache as his breath grew more choppy at her words. She couldn't have meant Thor, he had returned triumphantly and he had certainly not done anything to upset her since his return, surely. She wiped away a few waves of the streams of tears flowing heavily from both eyes and tried to stifle the wailing with a sharp breath. "This is all my fault; I should have told you," she said aloud. She didn't seem to be speaking to anyone in the room which was a relief with his worry that at limited capacity he might not be able to hide himself. Strangely it seemed as though she was speaking to the dead. He reached a hand out towards her, drawing it back instantly at realizing he would give himself away. "Oh, Loki, what I would give to bring you back, to see you again if only for a moment." After a few seconds of silence and burying her face in her hands, Frigga began weeping yet again.

The ache he felt suddenly became overwhelming. He felt his mother's mind spinning with guilt and sorrow. This was cruel and there was only one way to alleviate any amount of her suffering. He released his grip on the enchantment that gave him invisibility, appearing as he knelt in front of his mother and immediately reached up and put both hands on her shoulders. "Mother," he said softly. She froze without uncovering her face to look at him, but did not move or make a sound either. "Please don't cry, mother," he pleaded earnestly. He looked firmly into her eyes and smiled. "I'm right here."

Frigga slowly pulled her face away from her hands and looked back at the image of her lost son in amazement. At first she thought she was dreaming, but then thought to herself that even if this was a dream, it was worth it to take advantage of the sight. She breathed deeply and looked into his eyes. "Loki?" she asked breathlessly. He smiled back at her, hoping that she would not either fly into a fit of rage knowing that he had caused her pain with this last lie or that she would stand and run out of the room proclaiming that he had returned. To his relief, she grinned brightly and reached out for him, cradling either side of his face in both hands. "If this is madness I welcome it. I cannot live with such heaviness," she said. Before he could say anything in reply, she pulled his face forward and laid it against her chest, pulling the rest of him into an embrace. "I miss you, my son. I miss you so much."

"Mother, I cannot stay," he said quickly, placing a hand on one of her wrists and grasping it tightly as she held onto him.

"The comfort is enough," she replied softly, stroking his dark hair with an affection that made warmth flow over him. He closed his eyes for a moment, wishing that he could stay in this very position for at least half of eternity. "I wish I could tell you how much I miss you and how much I have always loved you."

Loki frowned and gripped her wrist more tightly. Of all the people he had known would be affected by this stunt, he hadn't thought about any pain befalling his mother. "Mother," he breathed, wanting desperately to tell her that he was alive and well, but knowing that it would destroy any chances of total hiding and therefore all of the plans that were delicately waiting to be carried out. He sighed deeply and pulled away from her embrace, looking back at her tenderly. "You need to rest, mother. I'll be alright."

"If only that was true," she replied sadly. He stood and took hold of the edge of the blanket as she laid back, closing her eyes. He pulled the edge of the blanket over her shoulders and smoothed it around her. "Your father and I miss you terribly . . . and your brother . . ." she muttered trailing off. Loki froze, a surge of anger moving through him at the mention of Thor. He hid the anger trying to surface, feeling his eyes changing back to their birth colour. He clenched one hand into a fist as the colour faded and leaned over her. He placed a hand on her shoulder, hoping that the sight of him had given her a little peace for a short time. "Loki, please stay. We still need you, I cannot imagine our lives without you," she muttered as she began to drift into an exhausted sleep.

The anger in him disappeared entirely at her words as he leaned down and softly kissed her cheek. Again he found himself thinking about how difficult it would be away from the woman that had raised him. After he had watched for a few more moments and he was sure that she would sleep peacefully, he turned and went back to the room where Darcy lay. He needed to act quickly and get this done and over with. Once he had gained control of Midgard he could return home to his mother and enjoy her pride and love once more. Sitting down on the edge of his bed once more, he forced aside tears of his own. While the thought of being missed was satisfying the sight of his mother suffering was exceedingly abysmal. He needed to concentrate on the next phase of taking the mortal captive instead of any distractions. He felt a stab of pain through his right shoulder and was unable to shake it away. He grasped the chalice once more and downed the rest of the fluid. He had never been so deprived of sleep, food, and as injured as this before and soon found himself lying back on the bed, promising to wake after only a few moments to get the mortal to Eldred. He would have to exchange words with the defiant sorcerer upon returning. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax entirely which would make any healing all the easier. As Loki's fierce eyes closed Darcy's opened. She sat upright and looked around the room, noticing that her captor was fast asleep.

_Bingo_, she thought as she stood up carefully. _Now's my chance_.


	5. Disappearing Act

Chapter 5: The Disappearing Act

There were several guards standing outside the room, something that Darcy had not quite anticipated. She knew that they were good people and that her captor was clearly the bad guy, but she still felt an innate anxiety at facing authority figures. No matter what was transpiring and what she was doing, Darcy always got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach when dealing with anyone in official attire. The strong inner school-girl was always afraid that she was in some sort of trouble and Darcy had come to the realization once that it was because of the trouble she had always longed to make, but knew better than to start. She breathed deeply, trying to think of the best way to approach them. They were whispering to one another every few moments, but she couldn't hear exactly what they were saying. She turned and glanced back at the form of the immortal still reclined on the bed and sleeping peacefully. He was actually attractive like this, not imposing or threatening in the least. She stopped looking around for a moment, feeling almost hypnotized by the sight of his chest smoothly moving up and down with each breath. She shook her head. There were more important things to think about at the moment. As she turned to look back into the hallway, she caught another glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her heart skipped a beat as she noticed that she still looked like the disguise in the reflection. She frowned thinking that there was no way she could do anything properly until she was back to normal, although she couldn't say for sure why that was. She quietly took a few steps toward the bed where he lay, trying to remember where he had hidden the stones that the stranger had given him that were supposed to have the magic to disguise them. He didn't move or stir as she came closer. Her heart began to race as she leaned over, thinking back to when he had placed the stones in a safe place.

Through the silence and darkness that cradled him, Loki felt the air nearest him disturbed by someone moving. His senses were unmarred by the fall and the elixir and he was cunning enough to remain still as he listened carefully. Darcy hesitated a moment, wondering if she could do this without waking him and starting something more awful than simply being a hostage. She tried to breathe as quietly as possible knowing that she couldn't hold her breath quietly for very long. Loki recognized the sound of the mortal's heartbeat and remained still as she leaned over him, reaching into the robes covering his chest. Darcy was sure that her heart would burst if it continued to beat like this for another minute. He felt her hand on his chest and, for a moment, wondered what in the world she was doing. Just as her pulse reached terminal velocity, Darcy felt her fingers brush against the two small stones. She froze. Did she need to take them both or just hers? How would she know which one disguised her? For that matter, how did she remove the disguise using the stone? Her stomach lurched at realizing that she wasn't even equipped to escape properly. This was a huge mess and now, more than anything, she regretted having walked outside. Without warning, Loki's eyes opened then almost immediately narrowed as he stared directly at her. Darcy remained frozen now in shock. He sat upright and took hold of her wrist tightly, pulling her face down to his menacingly.

"And just what do you think you're doing?" he demanded. She tried to pull free, thinking that any further delays would complicate this in a fatal sort of way. He kept a death grip on her and quickly stood upright. "I believe I am restored enough. Walk." After the last word, he pulled harshly on her wrist and began storming out of the room with her. The sight of the guards outside caused him to pause in the doorway. He frowned and turned back to her leaning over her once more. "Be silent or I will make you regret every syllable you utter."

Darcy breathed in sharply and stared back in growing fear. She was beginning to wonder if she would make it out of this situation alive. Content with the fear he had instilled for the time being, he hurried out into the hallway heading past the guards as swiftly as possible while willing invisibility to form around both of them. His strength and presence had restored enough to allow him the use plenty of magic for escaping. His grip on the threads of power that formed each enchantment still seemed a little on the weak side, but without any interruptions or distractions they could make it out of the building unseen and unheard before transporting to Sylvannheim. The two made their way through the winding halls quietly. Darcy's mind began racing as feverishly as her heart. _This is it, I'm gonna stroke out and then he's gonna kill me_, she thought. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, why didn't you run when you didn't recognize him_? The two reached the exit within a few seconds. Darcy wasn't sure what prompted it, but no sooner had they reached the door than the man raced back away from the door and stood flush with the wall, breathing heavily. Whatever it was, he seemed afraid of it which was a completely new emotion for him since she had arrived.

"Damn," he whispered. Darcy bit her lip as he looked from side to side. At the moment he looked more like a panicked animal than a powerful villain. She tried to glance at what it was in the doorway that had caused this, but couldn't see from her position and wasn't sure that moving into a better position was a good idea. She felt the grip on her wrist relax momentarily and she quickly moved to get a look in the doorway while he was still shaken. Her eyes widened as she saw four familiar figures standing a short distance away from the door, one of them very familiar, talking softly. Loki might have been prepared to take a mortal captive, but he was not ready to face his brother again for the moment. Her mind ceased racing and a flash of hope flickered in her mind. "Come, we'll have to exit from the eastern door."

Darcy hesitated and turned back to the entrance. "Thor! Help, help me!" she cried as loud as she could manage. Her voice seemed dry and strained with the fear, but it managed to reach him and all of the people outside the door turned to look at who had called to him.

Anger surged through Loki at this and he released her wrist while using the other hand to seize her by the shoulder. He growled and looked down at her. "You treacherous little . . ."

"Brother?" Thor asked from the doorway. The other three were poised to fight, but the sight of his revived sibling had made the fourth pause in confusion. Loki turned slowly, still keeping his hand on Darcy's shoulder so tightly that she was sure he had cut off more than just blood-flow. She watched in stunned silence as Thor's expression changed from confused to elated. "You're alive!"

"Much more than that," he replied pulling Darcy in front of him and placing his other hand around her throat. She gasped and gripped the arm leading away from her throat with both hands defensively. The confusion returned to Thor's expression and the four warriors behind him advanced three steps. "Surprised? I just couldn't bear the thought of the two of you separated. Here she is, brother, the only creature to ever make you humble."

"Let her go, Loki," Thor said firmly, putting a hand out toward her. "She is nothing to you."

"On the contrary, anything that is of such importance to you is my foremost concern," he said with a wicked grin. Darcy let out a small squeak and tried to pull free of his grasp, prompting a low growl from him. "I told you I'd pay her a visit when we had finished. I can see what drew you to this one; she is lovely and frail . . . very frail." His grip on her throat tightened and Darcy coughed furiously, closing her eyes and praying that something would end this immediately. Thor frowned at his brother and raised Mjolnir in one hand. Loki smiled and took a step backwards. "I take my leave of Asgard, but don't fret; I'll bring her back to you as soon as she is finished with _**me**_." With the last word the two disappeared leaving the four with news for the king and queen and hurdling further and further away from terra firma. Darcy began to sob, realizing that she would probably never see home again.


	6. Precarious Sylvanheim

(((_Sorry about the shortness of the last two chapters; thank you to everyone who has sent me questions. To address something that concerned one of you, yes, I am aware that Gaea not Frigga was Thor's real mother in mythology, but remember that Loki wasn't Thor's foster brother in mythology either . . . he was actually older than Odin in traditional Norse legend. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone, and enjoy this next installment until the next one is posted as well!)))_

Chapter 6: Precarious Sylvannheim

Before the world settled around them again, Darcy felt a small pop in the back of her mind and something immediately changed. She knew that she wasn't in a position to have a full on breakdown, but she also felt something within her snap and change the very atmosphere around her. Whether or not her captor could sense the change, she was sure that there was no stopping it and she was equally sure that she needed to act in a very physical and, unfortunately, violent way. When the world finally solidified beneath them and Darcy could once again see where she was, she drew in a deep breath and immediately turned, slamming her forearm into the man's abdomen on the left side. He gasped and fell forward a little being caught completely off guard. Darcy felt oddly empowered by the display and terrified by her own actions all at once. The empowerment took front seat and she stepped forward, raising her right leg and thrusting her kneecap into the side of his head. He grunted in pain and surprise and fell backwards against one of the trees. The events of the past few moments flew through Darcy's mind as her life began to slow play again in the back of her conscious vision. Against possibly better judgment, Darcy raced forward and grabbed a large branch off of the ground, raising it high and then bringing it down into the man's shoulder. She did this a total of five times making a verbal assault as well with each blow; "I . . . am . . . _**not**_ . . . frail . . . you . . . sicko!"

Loki cursed himself, his brother, this mortal, and Eldred with each blow. The mortal was formidable when angered, that would need to be noted for future reference. After the fifth smack from the large branch he managed to take hold of the branch itself and hold it aloft. Darcy froze and watched, panting for breath, as he rose slowly and glared at her. She snarled angrily and released the branch, thrusting both fists forward while his guard was still down. Unfortunately for her he had managed to regain his composure after gripping the branch and in less than a blink of an eye he had not only dropped the branch, but had also managed to take hold of both her wrists and whirl around with her, slamming her back into the tree and knocking the wind out of her. Darcy gasped and coughed for a moment as he stood in front of her, pinning against the tree with both hands still on her wrists. He caught his breath and tried not to think about the pain coursing through the five new wounds. The two stared at each other breathing sharply and heavily, each one trying to defend their own strength and power to the other silently. Darcy finally broke the silence in a low and firm tone.

"I'm not afraid of you," she said emphatically.

"That is not important to me," Loki replied. Darcy glared at him, doing her best to hide that what she had said was as false as the name she had given him. "I am not concerned with your fears . . . only your suffering and the torment it brings my brother."

"What is your problem? Even if you are ridiculously angry at your brother, what will hurting me accomplish for you?" Darcy demanded, her voice heightening with each word. "Huh? Have you thought about that yet or did you run into this like some seven year old on a playground trying to get back at the other kids?"

Loki released her wrists and took one step back. Darcy moved to the side of the tree staring at him defiantly. "Four," he said aloud. Darcy looked at him angrily, but now confused as well. She asked him what he meant and he grinned. "_Thor, help, help, me_ . . . four syllables. I warned you I would make you suffer for each syllable you uttered." He took a step towards her. She returned in like manner stepping backwards. He grinned all the more and continued taking small steps toward her as she backed away. "And it is courage, not fear, which prompts you to retreat?"

"Get away from me," Darcy warned in a low tone, raising both hands at her sides in fists. She walked backwards into another tree, letting out a small cry as her spine struck its bark. He took one final stride forward and placed a hand on the tree beside her and the other firmly against her shoulder preventing her from moving away. She breathed deeply and tried to continue with a defiant gaze finding it more and more difficult with each passing second as her pulse quickened beyond anything she had felt before. "I'm not afraid of you," she repeated in a hoarse whisper.

"No?" he asked playfully. He tightened his fingers around her shoulder and forced energy through the soft musculature and bone. Darcy cried out in pain as he relented, allowing the surge to last for less than five seconds total. She closed her eyes and turned away, trying not to lose any further control in front of him. The last thing she needed was to undermine the display she had already made. He leaned over her more closely. "That's one, three to go," he said with malicious delight. Without warning he completed this a second time, the same satisfaction in his eyes. "Two, two more left." Darcy stared back defiantly once more but then, looking past him, her gaze shifted suddenly to terror. Loki knew that just the thought of pain wouldn't have changed a mortal's visage that suddenly after being so obstinate (not to mention that her attention was no longer focused on him for the time being). He released her shoulder and turned his head, glancing at what had elicited this dread. His eyes grew as wide as they had when seeing the ground racing to meet him. Standing several yards away poised and pernicious, stood a great black wolf. Its eyes hungrily studied both of them as it took two small steps forward. Loki stared back at it in confusion. He hadn't heard an animal approach and his hearing was usually impeccable.

The wolf snarled and suddenly bounded forward. Before she could run out of the way, Darcy felt him take hold of her shoulders once more and they raced further into the forest, a great distance between them and the animal. The two breathed heavily, glancing around with instinctive anxiety. A twig snapped several feet away and, in unison, the two turned and gasped. The wolf was still advancing slowly and it seemed as though they hadn't moved at all. Loki felt the first signs of panic moving through him. He took Darcy by the wrist and hurried further into the forest, trying to summon Eldred with silent magic. Why hadn't the old sorcerer come to greet him upon arrival in the first place? This was not only rude, it was dangerous. Darcy cried out and pointed. Loki turned in time for the black wolf to leap onto him and raise its paw, bringing it down over his cheek and leaving four deep gashes with the swipe. He shouted in pain and frustration and reached out, taking the furry flesh around the wolf's neck in both hands and pulling down harshly on it. The skin tore, causing Darcy to stifle a scream with both hands, but no blood came pouring forth. In a literal flash of light, the wolf's form warped and contorted, writhing in an unsettling manner until it looked as though something human was kneeling over him. The figure stood quickly and pulled the wolf-skin hood off of its head. Loki stared at the figure in exasperation.

"You insolent little whelp," the old man seethed. He pulled off the wolf-skin and hurled it at the younger as he slowly got to his feet. "Do you have any idea how long it took to enchant that pelt?"

"Eldred," Loki said with a slight tone of disdain. "You're a little behind schedule."

"I answer to my own schedule, thank you very much, and if you think your little interlude as king of Asgard has changed what I expect from you then you are pitifully mistaken," the sorcerer added. "You had no business going back to earth to muck around when there are things to be done. If you expect to get the throne away from your brother with magic then you had best listen and obey every word I give you."

"I am in no mood for your lecturing," he replied indignantly. Eldred laughed and reached forward, snatching the pelt away from him. Darcy looked back and forth between the two in confusion.

"You should be grateful for the secrets I have shared with you. After your father banished me to this forest for the practice of dark magic I swore to end his entire legacy and you are a part of that. It is out of sheer morbid curiosity that I continue to put up with your feeble attempts to fully understand the craft," Eldred snorted. He shook the pelt thrice and slung it back over his shoulders. Loki frowned and touched the scratches gingerly, wincing inwardly at the sting each one was creating. The older sorcerer smiled broadly and then pointed slowly at the tree where Darcy had been standing. Loki turned and noticed that she had disappeared. He growled. "It appears your mortal hostage has a mind of its own. Fascinating creatures humans and their blood has so many uses for us."

"When I find her I'll . . . ," he began angrily.

"Bring her back to the fortress immediately. I won't have you soiling this hiding place with blood spilled in terror; it makes the trees scream which would mean discovery which would mean the end of me," Eldred corrected. Loki turned and glared at him which Eldred returned twofold. "Go and get your mortal and hurry back to the fortress. It'll be the first real task you complete without bumbling if you're done within an hour."

Loki said nothing as he turned to follow after Darcy as best he could. Eldred cleared his throat, attracting the attention of his apprentice once more. Eldred raised one hand majestically. "Make it worth your while. Use the enchantments I've taught you and lure her back instead of using force. Remember; your deceit is the master of the others' sincerity." He nodded and knelt, gathering several of the strands of magic around him and changing his form. Eldred watched, pleased and very amused, as his apprentice took the form of a young rabbit. The scratches on his face were still present and he added a limp while trying to move that would surely serve to lure her to the fortress once she could find the path. Eldred watched him disappear into the forest and mouthed a spell that would cause the path to appear not far from Loki wherever he went in the forest. The sorcerer was filled with contentment for the time being; his apprentice was still obedient and now he had a human at his disposal. Whether the foster son of Odin knew it or not, he was a key element in Eldred's horrible plans for the future of Asgard and the rest of the realms.


	7. The Stricken and Stark

Chapter 7: The Stricken and Stark

"How could you!" Thor shouted in a combination of awful pain and utter betrayal. Frigga hung her head in shame and Odin sneered back at him with disdain. Thor glared at his father with anger that rivaled even Loki's. "He trusted you . . . _I_ trusted you! Why did you lie to him, to me?"

"I wanted to bring peace to our people and terminate the bloodshed that orphaned Loki in the end!" Odin replied angrily. "Besides, he was left by the others to die and I wanted protect him from that truth, I told him this why does it matter to you?"

Thor snarled and slammed Mjolnir into the floor. "The truth is not something to be protected from!" he shouted enraged. Odin sighed and looked away while Frigga tried to think of a way to intervene and stop the argument. Thor took three steps up the stairs leading to the throne where both his parents stood. "Did you ever notice how much he wanted to know why he looked different and why he couldn't attain our strength? It plagued him every moment of every day and all I could say to him was that I didn't know and that he was exaggerating a few small differences. He was always trying to understand why he was different and you never told him why. I cannot imagine that kind of hell."

"He was well-cared for and loved which is more than what he would have had among his own kind," Odin retorted, raising his voice to try and silence his son.

"You do not lie to someone you love," Thor spat back. Frigga sobbed a little at hearing her son speak the very same words that she had said to her husband so many years ago. "His heart and mind are darkened by the deception that you hung over his head every day of his life; you practically taunted him with a false birthright!"

"You are far too young to understand; it was a perfect opportunity for an alliance and I saved the life of an innocent child," Odin countered. "He was meant to be king, just not king of Asgard and it would have been revealed to him once you had ascended."

Thor took another step forward growing more and more angry with each breath. "You didn't rescue him out of love and affection; you were ashamed of the slaughter of the frost giants and saw a chance to manipulate them in the future. You are nothing short of a monster!"

"_**I am king**_! I made my choice to better serve our people and my family," Odin shouted in return, his voice resounding through the chambers like a roaring lion. Frigga hurried to his side and placed a hand on his arm to try and calm him. The old immortal pulled away from his wife and stormed down two stairs to face his son. "Your brother's past was regrettable, but it was not criminal. What he does now, what he has chosen to become is reprehensible and I will not feel guilt or pity for that ungrateful, spoiled, selfish little . . . "

"Do not speak as if you have any right to judge him. You brought him into lavish prison and stand in awe that he felt anything but what you anticipated. Loki is at least twice the man you can ever hope to be," Thor interjected as loudly as his father had shouted a moment before. The tone and volume shocked the king especially given the notion that the issue at hand was not a challenge to Thor's strength or right to rule. He truly felt betrayed and he earnestly ached on behalf of his brother. He fought away tears and turned to leave the throne room.

"Where are you going?" Odin demanded.

"To find a way to earth to learn why he has abducted Darcy Lewis before attempting to rescue her and then . . ." here Thor turned back to face his father with rage and sadness gripping his chiseled features. " . . . to find my brother and bring him home where he belongs."

(*)

"No," Jane said firmly for what she hoped would be the final time. The dark-haired man staring back at her lifted a brow inquisitively. Jane sighed and put the stack of folders she had been carrying down on one of the nearby counters. The S.H.I.E.L.D. facility was also home to their respective agents and Jane's promised private laboratory had already been invaded by an unwelcome stream of advances. "Look," she began. "I think you're a good person deep down . . . somewhere, but I'm just not interested in having a relationship with you."

"Well that's a relief because all I did was ask you for the hundredth time in the past 24 hours if you wanted to go and get a drink or some coffee or some yellow cake uranium," the man replied. Jane narrowed her eyes at him and raised one brow reproachfully. He smirked in reply. "Or you could go for some coffee, a drink, or yellow cake uranium and I could just casually bump into you."

"I get the feeling I wouldn't be the first woman you 'bumped into' in a public place after discussing it in a lab, Mr. Stark," Jane quipped back. He continued to smile at her, unfazed by the rejection and appearing as calm and interested as ever. Since Jane had been introduced to the facility he had attempted to secure an interlude with her, but hadn't managed to get any further than a few pleasant words and even harsher glares. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm not only trying to get things organized without my mentor watching over things as much as I am used to, but I'm also trying to stay calm while my missing assistant is located."

"That's right, she's the geek that went missing in the dessert," he said trying to feign recollection. Jane sighed with irritation and shook her head. "If you want I could offer some cutting edge audio visual location systems so that she doesn't stay missing for long."

"No, thank you," Jane said flatly. Tony Stark felt unusually frustrated by this young woman's insistence on not experiencing the honor that was a good night out with him. He breathed deeply and took a step back towards the door. "You can show yourself out, now."

"I could come back at a better time and we could discuss some engineering changes I've made to a recent . . ." he began.

"Mr. Stark, please leave while I _don't_ hate you," Jane warned in a low tone. The man froze, shocked by the sudden change in an otherwise easy-going woman. Obviously being without her assistant was affecting her more than merely having to fetch a few supplies and the occasional cup of tea herself. Inconvenience was clearly being trumped by the loss of a friend. He nodded in resolution and then turned quickly to leave. Jane felt a twinge of guilt for speaking so harshly to someone who had offered to help. She reminded herself that his help was offered purely for selfish reasons and got back to thinking about the numerous issues looming over her. She glanced over the report that she had given to the agents assigned to look into Darcy's disappearance. She noted the part of the report where Selvig had told them about his last conversation with her. She had claimed to have found one of Thor's friends, or at least someone she thought was connected to him. Why weren't they nearby and how on earth could they have made it to the surface of their realm without the rest of the team in front of the radar being able to see the disturbance? Something had to have cloaked it and done it expertly to be so stealthy.

Out in the hallway, Tony Stark contemplated Jane's predicament. She had spent years of study on theories about portals and had been overjoyed to find one. Of course, the joy had been overshadowed by the interception of the government agents who had halted her research and seized the needed equipment for a short time. He pulled out his small and personalized cellular phone and asked for a number reserved only for emergencies. "Pepper," he said into the speaker. "I need for you to get Ernie and the rest of the crew in surveillance to look into everything that's been reported, seen, heard, smelled, and thought about regarding a missing person." He waited for a moment as his executive assistant and decidedly distant lover asked for the name. He turned and stared back at the door to the laboratory for a beat. "Darcy Lewis."

(*)

Loki followed Darcy's movements through the forest and contemplated appearing in front of her and trying to render her unconscious. Each time he considered it a pain shot through his shoulder in five places clearing his head to make way for another idea. After several minutes of following her and seeing how frustrated she was becoming he knew it was an opportune time to take on another disguise. He leaned against a tree still feeling the effects of being unable to have a full night's sleep while healing. What would be the best disguise to get her to follow the path to Eldred's fortress or at least follow him. It would need to be something small, relatively helpless, and lovely to look at. _A snake_, he thought, _human women have been tricked by snakes several times_. He drew in a deep breath and knelt as his form changed into a small, green tree snake. Darcy was only a few feet away and he slid quietly over to her. Darcy was growing more frightened, tired, and hungry with each moment. She heard something moving behind her and turned instantly. She saw the small, green snake slithering toward her and screamed loudly. Loki was shocked at the sound of the girl screaming at the top of her lungs, but was even more shocked when she found a rock and hurled it at his head. The rock landed with loud crack and the image of Darcy running away in the other direction spun madly before him. _Damn. I find the one human afraid of the noble snake_.

The next creature he considered was a badger which also prompted more rock throwing and screaming. After a badger he decided that a smaller, less frightening creature would be even better and tried both a rat and a spider, both with results similar to the ones before. Six attempts later he was aching and exasperated, but still determined to make a disguise work. He was far more intelligent than she was; his intellect superseded anyone in Asgard especially in his adopted family. Why the fact that he had been able to put up with Thor's belligerent . . . He sighed heavily and realized that a more familiar disguise with specific details would be best. It would be an onerous task and possibly funny to watch from a distance, but if he could manage to appear as his brother for a few moments then he could certainly lure her to the fortress without any sort of opposition. Darcy was beginning to move more and more slowly which made this the perfect time to use a false image.

Darcy had been wandering through the thick woods in this strange world for what had seemed like hours. She felt more weak and dejected than ever before. When she came to a smaller tree lying on its side in a clearing she immediately sat down and held her head in both hands sadly. She had no idea where she was or how to maneuver through the realm and had seen several disease-ridden creatures trying to attack her already. She knew that the villain that had abducted her and his master were lurking somewhere nearby and wished terribly that she had been stronger and more forceful when Thor had appeared. If she could have been just a little more fierce when Loki had taken the grip on her throat then she would have been home safe and sound by now. She groaned and fought away the urge to collapse and cry. The day here was drawing to a close and she could feel the air getting colder. She shuddered, finding it increasingly difficult to not curl up into a fetal position in a complete breakdown.

She sat up immediately as she heard the sound of someone moving towards her through the forest; twigs snapped and leaves crunched with every step whoever or whatever it was took toward her. She hurried behind the fallen tree and then peeked over it for a moment as the figure came into the clearing where she could clearly see them. She gasped at the sight of broad shoulders and blonde hair. Relief washed over her along with a sense of caution. After all of the things she had seen, heard, and been victim to over the past few hours she wasn't sure if she could trust her senses or the handsome Asgardian making his way toward her. She breathed deeply and tried to think of how to make sure that this was indeed Thor and not some kind of enchantment meant to lure her into a false sense of security. She heard him stop in front of the fallen tree and froze for a moment not wanting to even breathe if this was a trick. Her mind buzzed with a hundred questions of how to see if this really was him, but a desperate and stronger part of her ignored it and rashly stood up, wrapping her arms around him tightly, or rather wrapping her arms around what she could of him. He was almost as thick as any one of the trees. He returned the embrace and tenderly kissed the top of her head.

"It's not safe here. Come, I know the way back," he said. His voice was unmistakable and Darcy felt that it was better to trust him for the moment and get to safety even if it meant being followed or possibly confronted by either of the other two patrolling the forest. He grasped her hand and began to lead the way as the sun started to fully set. "It will be nightfall soon, but the path is fairly clear and it is only a short walk back to the portal to Asgard."

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you," Darcy said, her voice quivering ever so slightly as she now fought away tears of joy. "I was beginning to think I was going to just die out here . . . or worse."

"Worse?" he asked with a laugh. "What could be worse than dying alone and so far away from home?"

"Your brother seems to have some pretty nasty ideas, not that he shared any of them; he just gives me that creepy vibe. How did he end up so gangly and dark compared to you?" she asked innocently. His grip on her hand seemed to tighten a little and, had Darcy allowed herself the presence of mind to do so she would have seen his other hand form a fist and she might have had a chance to pull free and run away. Instead she kept her eyes affixed on his face and the path in front of them. He had been right about a clear path and she wondered if it was safe even for him to use if there were evil wizards on the loose. "Is he like one of those siblings that took after your mom or something?"

"No," he replied, his tone somewhat dampened by the topic. Darcy looked at him in genuine curiosity. He looked to the side and frowned. "He is not my brother by blood, by birth. He was adopted."

"Oh," Darcy said. She felt a slight measure of pity for the man now. Growing up looking so different from the rest of his family had to be difficult added to the idea that his brother would be ruler and always superior to him. She sighed and placed her other hand over his, grasping his large hand with both of her own. "How did you find me?"

"Loki is clever, but he is not perfect. All I had to do was ask the gatekeeper to find him and I knew you couldn't be far behind," he explained. She bit her lip and nodded, finding the explanation a little lacking. Several moments of silence passed and as the last amber rays of the sun glistened in the clouds before them, a large building came into view. Darcy hesitated, wondering if he truly knew the way to a portal or if he had planned on staying in this place over night. He smiled kindly and took a step forward. "It grows too late in the evening to use the portal now. Come, Jane, we will sleep here tonight."

Darcy froze and her heart began to pound once again. Her eyes widened in realization. Thor knew her by name and he most certainly knew Jane enough to not confuse the two of them. She breathed sharply and tried to speak as her mouth grew dry. "What did you say?" she said in nearly a whisper.

"We cannot use the portal until morning," he continued. He looked back, seeing the terror forming in her eyes. _Not again_, he thought. _How on earth did my brother manage to find the one human able to see through magic? Certainly she would have had the sense to find a more intelligent mate than a brute like Thor_. He cleared his throat and grasped her hands with both of his, noting that her skin was becoming cold and clammy. "Don't be afraid, Jane, I know perfectly well how to keep us defended from any evil that could strike."

"Who are you?" Darcy asked in a hoarse and raspy voice. Her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth and breathing itself was becoming painful now. All of the terror and running had made her as frail as Loki had accused her of being. "You're not Thor." He frowned at her and then slowly allowed the disguise to fade. She watched in awe as the disguise melted away and her hands fell into the grasp of Thor's dark-haired brother and nemesis. He looked at her emotionlessly as she cried out again and tried to pull away. Loki released her hands for a moment, allowing her to turn while attempting to run, and then swiftly took hold of her shoulders from behind. She grunted in frustration, trying to pull free for a few moments more but it seemed that his strength, as miniscule as it might have been in comparison to his brother, hadn't been fazed at all by the day full of lurking and tracking. He tightened his grip and leaned down to speak more directly to her.

"Stop this, you are only exhausting yourself and you know perfectly well that you have no way to get home. Each step you take weakens you and there is no escape without an escort," he said firmly. Darcy stopped struggling for a moment, panting and unable to keep a few tears from falling. They were followed by a few more and then a few more until she had a steady stream and was quivering with each breath. At least one of the tears landed on the back of his hand and he could feel the trembling in her. She began to sob quietly at being reminded that she was helpless and hopeless for the time being. He could clearly hear everything she was fearing at the moment as it throbbed in her chest and head. An ache moved through him at the sounds and feel of her tears; this was not what he wanted to be. Causing mischief and a good stir was one thing, but creating suffering was loathsome. His gaze softened and so did his grip as he turned her to face him. "I'm not going to kill you and I have no intention of harming you," he said, feeling that this was in essence true. Harm itself might have been planned, but not necessarily a direct torment towards her. He reached forward, making a gesture that even he wasn't sure of why he was doing it. Darcy felt stunned as he carefully wiped the stream of tears away from both eyes. She relaxed a little, but remained alert. "Just do as I say and this will be over painlessly and without delay."

Darcy composed herself for a moment, long enough to look back at him with the strength she wanted to exhibit though not nearly enough to be intimidating to him. She paused as she noticed that his eyes were no longer blue, but glowing a jade green. His features, coupled with the emerald orbs, were not altogether unpleasant to look at. In fact, at the moment, he seemed like the lesser of two evils; a forest crawling with creatures she found disgusting or disturbing was a little more daunting to face than a vengeful immortal that needed her alive and well. "What do you want with me? Why can't you just send me home and go terrorize your brother yourself?" she asked. "What can you possibly gain from keeping me prisoner when it's just going to make him angry?"

He sighed. "It's complicated," he said flatly. A long and unfamiliar howl from a strange animal cut through the cold air as the sun's last rays slowly disappeared. The two looked out into the forest for a moment instinctively. Darcy shuddered harder and groaned; hunger and exhaustion wouldn't allow her the luxury of running anymore. He let go of both her shoulders and took her by the wrist, taking a step towards the fortress. "Come along; the forest is deadly at night."

"And I'll be any safer with you?" Darcy said trying to shake away her emotional display.

He grinned. "Much safer," he replied. The two reached the stairs leading to the doorway and Darcy found herself pulling back on her arm so that she could grasp his hand in return. Even an evil sorcerer seemed like a better choice than the wild forest behind them. She had never been a huge fan of spending time communing with nature alone, but even less enthused now about communing alone with a nature she had never even seen on a documentary special. Loki felt a strange satisfaction and excitement at the girl taking his hand and wrapping her small, pale fingers around it. They reached the door and he quickly grasped the handle with his free hand, looking back into her face smiling. "There is nothing out there that I haven't faced before . . . alone."


	8. Darkest Before Dawn

Chapter 8: Darkest Before Dawn

The next hour or so was a blur to Darcy who found herself confused and possibly imagining the serenity she was experiencing at the moment. Once inside the fortress, the man that had transformed into a raven and flown off with her taser appeared and informed them that Eldred was in his study. Loki knew better than to disturb his master in his private study after having done it once, but he was also anxious to reveal his plan and, in a longer and more broad sense, eager to have all of the knowledge and power he needed and be done with the cruel old man. For now the cantankerous sorcerer was necessary, but after he had acquired everything he needed he could prove himself loyal to Asgard and more capable than his brother by dispatching the malicious and ancient mage. He hadn't heard all of the reasons that existed for his banishment to Sylvannheim, but the ones he had been told of by both his father and mother were reason enough to stay far away from him. Certain that he could handle the powers that Eldred could bestow and parry any power used against him, Loki had gone to the sorcerer for years since becoming a young man tired of being powerless in squabbles with his brother and the other warriors he trained with. In instances like this one a very small and practically silent part of him regretted taking the risk so many years before. He silenced and subdued that part of himself with the knowledge that he would surpass any of the Asgardians in knowledge and power in the coming era.

There was a tired silence hovering over the large, primary room where they were greeted by Brenhin. Darcy had tried to decipher whether or not he had her taser on his person, but was unable to determine it with his flowing robes. She made a note to herself to locate it as quickly as possible. If the taser could take down Thor then surely it would incapacitate someone half his size and less prepared. Brenhin found Darcy fascinating and had to be chastised at least thrice for stopping and staring at her silently. Of course Darcy hadn't really noticed while she continued to try and collect her thoughts to keep from spiraling into madness, but Loki found himself irritated to no end at Brenhin's curiosity. After bringing the two an evening meal and assuring the immortal that Eldred would send for him shortly, Brenhin was ordered to go wait outside Eldred's study door and wait for the summons to be made. Darcy thought about what she had read in the library book from Selvig and tried to recall each and every detail as Loki led her to a room where she could stay until the plans were carried out. She barely noticed him speaking to her as they walked and wondered if she could find a way to use his magic to her advantage.

"Is that clear?" Loki asked. Darcy shook herself and realized that he had been speaking to her for several minutes and she hadn't heard a word of it. She looked back at him with a blank stare and bewilderment. He sighed heavily and moved toward the door. "I said do not leave this room for any reason whatsoever. If I recur and find you missing then I will relocate you and no one else will ever find you again."

"But I'll have to leave the room at least once. You can't expect me to just sit in here like an animal," Darcy countered. He looked back at her blankly silently stating that he truly didn't care what inconvenience it brought her to stay put. She took a step toward him. "You do know I have all the same needs you do or at least I'm assuming you do. You're not a robot, are you? You can't go for days without food or using a restroom, can you?"

"The fortress, then; stay within these walls. I warn you that Eldred will not be as kind as I have been if you stumble into his private quarters or study," he warned.

"This is your idea of _not_ hurting me?" Darcy asked, folding her arms. He took one step toward her looking a little taller and a great deal more irritated than before. She swallowed hard. "Fine, I'll just wait here then."

"Sleep if you require it. Being a mortal I suggest you rest while you can as there may be any number of small traumas in your immediate future and there may not be time after tonight for you to rest and prepare," he said as he grasped the door-handle. Darcy stared at him in confusion. She wondered if that was meant to be a threat or an observation, not that it mattered for the time being.

Without thinking, Darcy unfolded her arms and gave an inherent friendly wave. "Goodnight," she said.

He hesitated and stared back at her perplexed. He watched as she sat down on the edge of the bed and gazed out the window at the night sky. "Good night," he replied mindlessly. Once the door was closed he found himself wondering what on earth she had meant by saying that and why in the world he had replied. He shrugged it off as some silly human or female gesture and headed back to the primary room to wait for Brenhin to bring word from Eldred. Hopefully the old man had been able to repair the wolf-skin fairly quickly and there would be precious little time needed for him to concoct the most efficient way to go about all of the plans Loki still had in mind. At least two of them had altered somewhat over the past few hours but nevertheless there were plenty of unfaltering elements of mischief that needed to combine for his greatest accomplishment to be complete. Brenhin met him at the entrance to the primary room and bowed his head.

"Eldred is waiting for you in the atrium," he said. "I trust you found somewhere suitable for the mortal?"

"She is upstairs and not to be disturbed," Loki replied as he stepped past the servant and out towards the atrium. "The last thing we need right now are any distractions."

The atrium sat at the easternmost portion of the dwelling and had seen a great deal of amateur practicing from the younger sorcerer. When Eldred had first offered to teach Loki the finer parts of the ancient art of magic he had made sure that the atrium was protected against any potential mishaps in manipulating the natural forces. This made it the safest room in the dwelling and quite possibly the safest room in any universe. He entered the room quietly noting that Eldred was not only waiting for him, he looked as if he had been waiting for several hours. His piercing green and grey eyes were trimmed by tensed layers of wrinkled flesh from years of practicing dark magic which were now narrowed almost angrily at his apprentice as he entered. Loki stopped in front of the old man, his demeanor changed from the former arrogance and hostility to meekness in a mere second. He bowed his head and waited for Eldred to speak. Eldred said nothing for a few moments, appraising the youth with disdain. He rose slowly, taking his large walking stick in one hand and glaring at his apprentice with sheer revulsion although Loki couldn't be sure of why his master seemed this displeased with him at the moment. He wanted to demand or at least ask what had unsettled the old sorcerer, but knew it was best to remain silent. Eldred finally stood slowly and then turned away from his apprentice, walking slowly over to one of the large set of shelves packed with old scrolls and books he had bound himself. Loki continued to remain silent as Eldred casually withdrew one of the books and opened it.

Loki watched him as he stared wordlessly at the pages. Was he reading after he had summoned him to speak? Eldred had been acting strangely as of late; sending for his protégé and then practically ignoring him when he had arrived. The fact that he hadn't been waiting for the youth to arrive after falling through the remnants of the Bifrost Bridge still concerned Loki and he wondered if this was because Eldred knew something he did not. Eldred slammed the book shut after a moment causing the younger man to jump at the sound. Eldred turned his gaze to his apprentice and frowned. "You look terrible," he announced. "Your excursion to Midgard after your brilliant display was nearly useless."

"With all due respect, master Eldred, the mortal can only prove useful with my brother's attention kept piqued and thereby distracted. He will bow to any demands that we have as long as Jane is in my possession," Loki said proudly. Eldred snickered. His wise and ancient senses had already seen what the trickster and the gatekeeper could not, the girl's true identity. He kept this to himself as he turned and gave a look of displeasure to his apprentice despite the assurance of having the upper hand. "I will go myself on the morrow back to Midgard and inform the mortals she knew . . ."

"You'll do no such thing. You will return to Midgard tonight and follow my orders and nothing else," Eldred interjected firmly and quickly. Loki became instantly silent and nodded to his master. The old sorcerer harshly placed the book back on the shelf and advanced toward his apprentice. "Your unbridled mischief is taxing and foolish. Magic must be controlled and used for specific ends through particular means. Your arrogance and chaotic whims will turn your power to utter failure. I ask very little of you and you cannot complete even the simplest task. My patience is growing thin with each exploit, boy."

Loki clenched one fist and swallowed hard. He had already learned to not interrupt or differ with the old man. Instead he drew in a sharp breath and determined to alleviate the frustration through some other means. "What would you have me do?" he asked. Eldred enjoyed the gloom that he had brought to his otherwise spritely apprentice. He smirked and folded his hands behind him.

"You are aware that your father's tesseract was lost during the battle with Laufey years ago," Eldred said casually as he walked in a wide circle around his apprentice. "That very source of power has been uncovered by mortals . . . twice. I recall showing you its former uses a few years ago. It was most amusing, was it not?"

"I recall it vaguely," Loki replied. He recalled a few of the images, remembering that some of the images involved the petty wars that humankind had waged against one another. He remembered the images of the two forces fighting against one another and the strange, powerful tools that the tesseract had allowed them to use against the other. "You want me to retrieve it, then?"

"Hardly. The Sole Creator only knows what kind of havoc would lie in your wake if you handled the tesseract without knowing what it does first," Eldred replied with an angry glare. It turned immediately into an unexpected grin. "No, no, my boy, I want you to go and find the humans studying its specifics. Once they have begun unlocking its secrets, then I shall instruct you further."

"If I may, Eldred, my brother will be anxious to have Jane returned to him and I need to make very sure . . ." Loki began. Eldred suddenly appeared directly in front of the youth snarling.

"You forget your place, Loki," Eldred stated emphatically. The immortal entertained the idea of throwing caution to the wind and standing his ground. Eldred's eyes were glowing a brighter green than usual and Loki realized that his master was more than usually angry and pulsing with an even stronger than usual prowess. He turned and walked back over to the book shelf, taking the book back in hand. "You will leave after you make sure that the girl won't be going anywhere."

"I have given her a room and ordered her to stay in it," he countered.

"Of all the things in any of the nine realms that elude you, women are the most pathetic failure of all on your part. Allow me to enlighten you; women do not follow orders or instructions particularly when they come from someone who is a source of frustration," Eldred continued. He reached into his robes and withdrew a small vial. Brenhin, who had been waiting in the doorway to watch how the interlude would transpire, frowned at the sight of the vial and shook his head as the old sorcerer hurled it at his apprentice. "Make sure she drinks all of it."

"I really don't see this as being necessary," Loki countered. He looked down at the vial and then back at Eldred who had turned back to reading. The man had stated that his patience was growing thin and it was usually thinnest when he tried to ignore the obvious around him. The trickster sighed and hurried out of the room. He cursed inwardly at not having stranded Thor more fully and losing control of Asgard. Kingship had suited him perfectly and this answering to Eldred was wearing on him quickly. He glanced at Brenhin as he passed and headed quickly for Darcy's room. He would finish this nonsense with the tesseract, but there would be plenty of time to simultaneously have a little fun at his brother's expense. What good was having a hostage if one couldn't flaunt it? He opened the door to her room as silently as possible and peered in. The girl was lying sound asleep on the bed. He looked down at the vial and sighed. There was really no point in using it and Eldred would only be expecting her to sleep so no one would be the wiser if he decided against forcing it on her. She groaned and turned away from him.

He quickly left the room and closed the door, drawing as much strength as he could to prepare for leaving the realm. He went through the motions of teleportation without thinking, wondering how he would carry out any mischief against his brother without repeating anything he had done before and without being detected. The thousands of possibilities for a decent accident continued to flow seamlessly through his mind as he found the old man that had served as Jane's guide and the tesseract itself. The two were not far from one another alongside a one-eyed human who seemed to be asking for the guide's assistance. Loki noted that the old man seemed confused and intrigued by the sight of the glowing cube. He felt his way into the man's consciousness. Confusion and intrigue left a human's mind open and vulnerable . . . even the intelligent ones. He grinned and looked at his reflection, invisible to the humans themselves, as he spoke softly and prompted the man to say each word in return. "Well I guess that's worth a look."


	9. Dawn and Norsesense

Chapter 9: Dawn and a Little Norse-sense

Darcy slept through the night and awoke early in the morning. She couldn't remember dreaming, but for some strange reason that she couldn't understand long after the night had passed, she felt as though she had dreamt at least one hundred things all at once. As the first signs of sunlight peeked through the shroud of night and the tops of the trees, Darcy awoke and sat upright at suddenly realizing that she had been left completely alone in the fortress. For all she knew, everyone who was supposed to have been there were long gone at the incredible silence that filled the room and the hallway outside the door. Her heart skipped a beat as a raven suddenly flew in through the window and landed on the foot of the bed. She scooted up against the headboard and watched the raven transform into Brenhin who smiled pleasantly. Darcy realized that his hair was a dark brown, but still not as dark as Loki's and definitely not as pale in complexion. Clearly whoever had been the trickster's birth family was not from the realm that was home to Thor and the rest of the warriors that had visited earth. She watched as he stood and bowed politely.

"Good morning," he said. She stared back silently. "I trust you slept well."

"As well as someone who's been kidnapped can sleep," Darcy replied slowly. Brenhin frowned a little and nodded in agreement. She cleared her throat and sat forward, trying to push aside any fear or apprehension and look for a way out using the magic that these people seemed to have in spades. Darcy had watched enough films and read enough books to know the basic rules of humans using magic. She was sure that if she could learn a little about how they practiced it then she could find a way back home in no time. "I was told I can't leave the fortress, but I can go look around, right?"

"I suppose showing you around the rooms wouldn't violate the terms of your stay," Brenhin reasoned. He moved to the door and grasped the handle. "Come, I'll show you everything from the entrance to the library and then you can . . ."

"A library? There's a whole library in this place?" Darcy asked excitedly. Brenhin smiled at her. "I can live without seeing anything else; show me the library."

"Very well. Master Eldred is not yet awake and Loki has yet to return from Midgard so we will not be disturbed," he announced happily.

Darcy stood and walked towards him. "Midgard is where I'm from, right?" she asked. Brenhin nodded with a somewhat puzzled look on his face. "Why did he need to go back? What was he getting?"

"I doubt that even if I had been privy to that information that it would be wise to share it with you," he explained with a wink as they left the room. She followed him nearly walking beside him. "But if I had to guess and allow you any knowledge of his actions I would say that Master Eldred asked him to collect information of some sort. Master Eldred rarely sends Loki out to do anything but listen. He just can't be trusted to do anything without causing trouble."

"So he's kind of the screw-up?" she asked with a laugh. Brenhin looked at her in greater confusion. They made their way through the winding hallways of the massive fortress as the conversation continued. "You know, the class clown, the jester, the fool?"

"It would be best for you to keep those descriptions to yourself," Brenhin warned. As they approached the door of the library he glanced over his shoulder at her and grinned. "But yes, I suppose he is."

"That's cool. I was kind of a cut-up myself in high school. That changed in college, though," she remarked. After entering the library, though, she was rendered silent. She gasped and looked in astonishment at the walls filled with books all of them easily at least a hundred years old or more. She raced over to the nearest shelf and began scanning the spines of the books for titles and author names. She furrowed her brow and then sighed heavily. "It figures. All of these books are written in one of the weird, old languages that I just can't read," she said sadly. She pulled one off the shelf and looked over it with terrible disappointment. "How am I supposed to keep myself busy with books I can't read?"

"Oh there are tomes from Midgard in many of its languages," Brenhin corrected. Darcy set the Norse text down and pulled a strand of hair out of her face. The man took her by the hand and led her up a set of small stairs into another portion of the library. The books here all had titles in English and Latin. She grinned and immediately grabbed one of the books, looking over it with excitement. Brenhin watched her for a beat and then thought of something to interest her even more. He cleared his throat and looked toward one of the shelves in particular. "Of course, there are also texts that might tell you a little bit more about Sylvannheim, and Master Eldred, and Loki. If you're interested they might be right over here."

Darcy dropped the book she was holding and hurried over to join him. She looked over the books excitedly and saw at least three with titles that implied they would have information about her surroundings and captor. All of them were essentially mythological textbooks. Brenhin quietly slipped one of the smaller books off the shelf and set it in front of her. She glanced down at the title and adjusted her glasses. She gasped. "I can't read this!"

"Why not? Isn't this your native tongue?" Brenhin asked.

"That's not what I meant," she corrected and tried to push past him to re-shelve the book. "This is a _journal_; it's an invasion of privacy. I wouldn't want him reading my journal. Why in the world is it in English anyway?"

"Firstly, you also wouldn't take him captive and keep him prisoner somewhere in Midgard to unsettle a relative of your own and secondly he finds English the most fascinating of your languages given its bizarre syntax and awkward spellings. I'm sure this would be more informative than any other text you could read," Brenhin added. Darcy shook her head. "Go on, it won't do any harm to read a few pages."

"Yeah, I'm sure Mr. Shifty, Dark, and Nasty wouldn't at all be upset if I got a close look at his personal thoughts and feelings. I can't imagine what kind of horror would happen if he knew I'd read his journal," she muttered as she instinctively glanced over some of his writing. "Nice penmanship, though."

"You underestimate his ability to overlook the obvious as well as the usefulness of this book's contents," Brenhin urged as he pushed the book back into her hands. She sighed and took hold of it.

"I don't like this," she groaned. "I hate the idea of spying on someone."

"He does it every day. You'll notice that almost all the entries include a section of what he saw when he was secretly observing someone," Brenhin gestured toward the book once more. "Besides, it might give you an idea of how to deal with any of the eccentricities he has."

"That's not exactly a top priority of mine," Darcy muttered. "Still, I guess it's not a big deal. I don't have to read all of it. He'll never know the difference, right?"

"Who won't know the difference?" Loki announced from behind the two. Both turned quickly, Darcy placing the book behind her defensively. Loki frowned as he recognized the sight of someone hiding something important. He stormed up the set of stairs toward the pair and looked from one to the other harshly. "Brenhin, I have been in Midgard all night trying to learn as much as Eldred needs from my father's tesseract and I am in no mood for any minor infractions. Eldred will flay us both if there are any infractions on top of the pathetic excuse for a report I have for him."

"Perhaps you should go back and return in a few days," Brenhin offered.

Loki glared at him. "I would rather swallow broken glass," he replied. Darcy tried to slip the book back on the shelf behind her. She prayed silently that he would be too tired to notice what she was holding. He turned to her just as she released the edge of the spine and allowed both of her hands to fall smoothly back at her sides. "What on earth are you doing in the library?"

"He was showing me around," she explained, pointing to Brenhin like a child blaming a sibling for a broken vase. Brenhin frowned at her as his secondary master turned his gaze back to him. "I'd rather just see the library than the rest of this junkyard."

"And I have things to do. I'll start the morning meal, shall I?" Brenhin interjected, hoping that the subject change would give him a chance to leave instantly. Not wanting to wait for any further confrontation, Brenhin bowed his head and hurried out of the library, muttering to himself. Loki shook his head.

"It's not even mid day and already he's off the deep end," he muttered. Without turning to look at her he grasped Darcy by the wrist and began walking toward the door. Darcy thought quickly about what Brenhin had said in being able to get the best information from the journal. She drew in a sharp breath and snatched it back in one hand and shoved it under her shirt. Luckily, the immortal didn't seem to take notice of this and they walked silently to the primary room once more. After a few moments of sitting quietly, Brenhin brought in the morning meal and told Loki that Eldred wished to hear what news he had for him within an hour. "There's very little to tell just yet," Loki said to no one in particular. Darcy took one of the forks in her hand and watched him gaze into the distance still speaking his thoughts aloud. "Humans seem far too slow at uncovering the purpose of things in these times. Before they had their complicated nonsense it took a few days at best to realize that magic should not be tampered with by mortals." He sat back and seemed to take in a thought that had never occurred to him before. "I wonder what good it would do them to finally have a supreme monarch? It certainly wouldn't take much for anyone with a cursory knowledge of magic and I have far more than that. With the tesseract I could change everything."

"Yeah, I could just imagine a world with you leading it," Darcy said. She wasn't sure what had taken hold of her, but she felt obligated to add to the conversation now more than she had ever felt in her life. She smirked. "It would be jam packed with strangeness; Halloween would be Christmas, dogs would have kittens, cats would have jelly-beans, and flowers would all sing Spanish folk songs," Darcy said. If his inclination toward mischief was anything like hers had been in her younger days, then the best way to get smoothly through the time it would take to get home would be to become a lighter, better version of mischief and mayhem . . . in a word she had to be silly. Loki stared at her in a combination of confusion and slight contempt. His mischief was above childish silliness and what she was describing was complete insanity. She smiled brighter, feeling oddly soothed by her list of adjustments to the world under his command. She looked down at her plate as she continued. "Every weekday's name would be followed by a smiley face; rainbows would be in black and white. Ooh, ooh, ooh! It would snow in neon colours! There would be a political party called 'the tie-dyes' and you could plant gum-drops to grow a money tree!" She laughed at the last few words, overwhelmed by her own absurdity. She turned and looked at her captor who stared at her blankly. She cleared her throat and looked back down, silently. He watched her for a few moments noting that she was hiding a broad grin.

"You are hopelessly idiotic. That was nothing short of complete and utter nonsense," he said flatly. Darcy looked back at him, the smile (even while hidden) fading instantly at his words. He continued to stare at her for a few moments before grinning brightly. "I liked it."

"_**A little nonsense now and then is treasured by the wisest men**_," she sang softly. He sat more upright at this, intrigue and something akin to joy flooding his face and thoughts, especially after the last few hours had been so trying. She smirked and looked away again. She was feeling more and more drawn to him, his dark features and intense yet dynamic persona, with every passing moment and what had begun as a crush on her captor was quickly becoming what she could only assume was the strangest case of Stockholm Syndrome ever recorded. She gripped her fork and cleared her throat, trying not to look back at him. "At least, that's what Willy Wonka believed."

"A philosopher? I'm not familiar with that name. He must be more one of your more contemporary thinkers. Are there any volumes of his work in the library? It's been decades since I've read anything from a Midgard author," Loki observed. Darcy laughed and turned to him.

"No, he's a figure from literature. He had this whole world of 'pure imagination'. It wasn't one of my favorite books, but it was fun to read," she replied. "Didn't you ever read any fantasies when you were a kid? Things that had worlds of make-believe and silly characters that turned into animals or were animals?"

"I trained from birth to one day assume the throne," Loki explained with the smile starting to fade. Darcy turned and faced him again, this time she seemed to have pity in her eyes. He felt absolutely delighted to know that her emotions were so quickly swayed and that he could easily assume any position in her moods with a few words. Humans were more fun than he had realized. He allowed the smile to return. "So all of the volumes of nonsense had to be hidden from my father and tutor."

"Did you have any favorites?" she asked, earnestly interested to know more about the mind of the man she was admiring. She shifted the book she was hiding as well, hoping that with his attention aimed in her direction that she wouldn't be found out for taking the journal.

"No, books are full of their own unique virtues. It is easier to find a favorite chapter than a favorite story," he replied. She gestured to him to elaborate. "Let me think; I distinctly remember a favorite tale from a whole volume of stories. My brother and I explored them for several nights when all the others were in bed and no one could stop us. One of the tales featured a priest, a jackal, and a tiger. The jackal outwitted the tiger and earned a place of honor with the priest. It was followed by the most delightful story of a bird who saves his beloved from a greedy king with the help of a cat, a horde of ants, and a whole river all of which fit into his ear."

"Those were old Pakistani tales. I read them a long time ago," she said, amazed at having read the same light-hearted story that a powerful immortal had. "I think the bird story was called 'Podna and Podni'. They're almost as old as the completion of human civilization."

"Humans are far from completely civilized; that process is ongoing and becomes less and less possible with each year your kind develop some new way to make life more complicated for you," he shot back.

"You're not so civilized, either. Allow me to offer two words," she said playfully. He turned and waited expectantly for both words. "Indoor plumbing."

"Overrated," he muttered. A loud crash came from somewhere deeper in the fortress. All three stopped moving and listened carefully. Brenhin's expression changed to fearful and he glanced over at Loki with concern. The trickster sighed heavily and stood. "I suppose he is anxious to hear about the tesseract now." With that, he swiftly walked away from the table and down toward the atrium. Darcy turned and looked at Brenhin in bewilderment. He shook his head.

"You should go back to your quarters," he said softly. "You'll be safer there."

Darcy didn't argue, but did ask to be reminded of the directions. She followed them hurriedly after Brenhin had reminded her that she should not stray at all from the direction he had given. She closed the door behind her and pulled out the book, lovingly stroking the old, leather binding and breathing in the scent of the aged parchment and ink. Books on earth that were this old weren't nearly as well preserved and were almost unreadable. She adored old books, particularly those that had been handwritten. There was something more enlightening about words that had come directly from someone else's hand. Darcy had originally gone to school as a social science and world literature major, but the notion of nursing brought more income and acceptance by her family. She sat down on the bed and scooted back against the headboard once more, opening to the first page. As volatile as his moods and actions were this would prove to be the most interesting read of her life.


	10. A New Assistant

_(((Alright, so my younger brother moves back in with me and is helping me edit and act as creative consultant. He's not a fan of the comics, but loves the mythology like me. His input for this week was, "I love the potential for Loki here . . . now make him just a little bat-s#!$ crazy." So here goes . . .)))_

Chapter 10: A New Assistant

Before Darcy had hurried back to her own quarters, she had made sure to stop at the library and grab a quick volume of information both about the Norse deities and Sylvannheim itself. She placed Loki's journal within it when she wanted to look over a few passages. The diary began with his accounts starting at age 14 about how different and dejected he felt. He had learned to use magic as a hobby, a gift from his mother and father to be tutored by a gifted sorcerer. When he had shown promise, Odin had limited his lessons, but Frigga encouraged them all the more. What had troubled Darcy about the few passages she read were the accounts of what Loki told of his brother and the antics going on during their childhood. There was no doubt that the two had fun for their first few years of life and got along fairly well, but as puberty descended on both, things changed. He still clearly loved him very much, but Thor had been quite nearly cruel in the transition to young man. Their playmates tormented Loki for his smaller stature, lack of strength, and even gave him the nickname 'the green-eyed monster' which he wrote had caught on in Midgard to mean envy. According to each and every passage, while Loki saw himself as superior in intellect and power, he was convinced he was truly deformed and unsightly. Not the least bit helpful in that delusion was the refusal of the only girl he had ever courted, a maiden named Sif, making a grand display of rejecting him for his stature during one of the festivals.

She frowned. Why hadn't Thor done something to stop this? Granted the passages did talk about how they had comforted one another afterward, but it didn't undo the damage done. Weren't brothers supposed to protect each other? She sighed and set the journal under her pillow, taking a closer look at the manuscript about Sylvannheim. The sections on the deities could wait, but she wanted to know more about the world on which she was stranded. Apparently, Sylvannheim was a 'hidden world' or 'unseen world' that branched away from Asgard itself. Darcy reasoned that the multi-verse theory in this case meant that there were infinite possibilities for realities and realms branching from each of the nine main worlds that supposedly existed along Yggdrasil listed in the book as more than just the proverbial 'tree of life'.

"_While Asgard and Midgard parted ways to enjoy peace, there was still unrest amongst the immortals of both realms,_ the book read. _The elves or Alfskind, argued that with the Asgardians gone that humanity would run rampant and that the elves would be powerless to guide them. Bealin, their king, pleaded with Odin All-Father to leave at least a handful of Asgardians to watch over their realm and protect them from the destruction that many wise-men and wise-women had foreseen among elves and men. But Odin was young and eager to return to his wife and young son. Instead, to turn man's attention from interfering with the power and peace of the Alfskind, he offered them his own casket to keep in good faith until he returned for it. Angered by this reckless gift to the mortals, the elves vowed enmity with Asgard and its citizens. While the Alfskind used the casket to create an awful weapon against their enemies before losing it to a Viking conqueror, a clan that served as consul to the royal line used their magic to not only find one of the hidden realms, a forest of a powerful and secretive nature, but also to curse Odin with a terrible spell._:

'_Your offspring will in discord be _

_The cause of all your misery;_

_Born of royal blood and bone, _

_Reared against their native home._

_Their powers shall surpass your own _

_And take from you your might and throne,_

_Then you shall rise and reign again, _

_But one will not forgive your sin._

_Crownless, throne-less, love-less, he_

_Brings Ragnarok as destiny._

_Then when all battles fought are done,_

_You will survive; bereft of life and love.' " _

She looked over the passage repeatedly and then suddenly felt something leap onto the bed in front of her. Darcy gasped and dropped the book, glancing at whatever it was that had interrupted her. Sitting in front of her was a fox as black as the raven that had awakened her earlier in the morning. She sighed heavily. The fox's tail twitched anxiously and it stared back at her expectantly. Darcy grinned and reached forward, gently rubbing the fox's head. It grunted and moved backward. She reached behind her and put the manual about Sylvannheim in-between the two of them. She opened to one specific page and looked down at the fox, still grinning at thinking that at least Brenhin might be something like a friend for a short time. He seemed to be concerned about her well-being and pleasant to talk to at the very least. She pointed to one of the ornately written paragraphs with a few etchings near it of trees and magical creatures.

"Look, Brenhin, according to this there are a lot more than just a couple of crazy sorcerers living here," she said excitedly. She crossed her legs and leaned over the open tome as if it were filled with familiar stories and images from her youth. "See, there's animals and things like the forests on earth, but there's also weird fairies and elves and things. I mean, this whole realm is like a generic Middle Earth or something. Are the elves that live here really angry at that Odin guy? I mean, if they really don't like him then why doesn't Loki just join forces with him if he wants to make his family that miserable? That would make more sense."

The fox grunted again and glanced at the doorway. Darcy sat upright and craned her neck to look carefully into the hall. "What is it? Is he out there or something?" she asked. The fox let out a soft huff and reached out with one paw, closing the book firmly. Darcy looked back at the fox, still keeping one paw on the book as it continued to stare at her. She frowned. "What's wrong, Brenhin?" It glanced behind her at the edge of the other book she had been reading. "Oh, right, this," she replied and pulled the journal out, opening it and glancing at a few pages more. "You're right, it did give me information I don't think I could've gotten anywhere else. It's kind of sad, though. He started off as kind of a lonely geek and it hasn't gotten much better. Poor guy; it's no wonder he's a total . . ."

"A what?" an icy voice asked. Darcy froze and became silent as a set of pale fingers suddenly grasped the book in front of her, curling over the top and settling right over the center. She felt her breath catch in her throat as the book lowered away from her face against her volition. Her own eyes were now locked with the verdant gaze of her captor. Darcy may not have had the psychic abilities he seemed to possess, but she could tell that he was not happy. She let out the tiniest of shrieks as he yanked the journal away with a growl and held it carefully in both hands. She remained perfectly still as he examined the cover and some of the pages meticulously. "Tell me," he said slowly. Darcy swallowed hard and waited a beat as he finally looked back at her. "What form of illiteracy prompted you to mistake my name for yours?" She lifted one brow in confusion. He frowned and lurched forward, causing Darcy to jump a few inches backward instinctively. "Perhaps life in Midgard is so painfully dull that any vicarious recollection of another realm was too great a temptation for you." Darcy stammered for a moment and tried to think of something to say in her defense. "Or are you so ill-mannered that even with an acceptable measure of intelligence you were compelled to steal a most private account of _**someone else's life**_?" The last few words were all but shouted and Darcy bolted toward the door, afraid that what had been dormant in an otherwise playful creature had now become deadly. She should have done exactly what she knew was right and left the journal alone in the first place. As she scrambled to the door she prayed silently that he would be too concerned with taking the journal elsewhere than to come after her. To her relief, she made it into the hallway and managed to take three long strides forward swiftly before he materialized in front of her, still grasping the journal in one hand.

She froze and stared back, trying to maintain a stable heartbeat. If she remained calm enough to think this through and speak well, she might just be able to get through it unscathed. She tried to stand perfectly erect, but was still visibly trembling every so often. She finally pointed to the book as she thought of something clever to say. "I really like your handwriting. As a political science major, I had to analyze penmanship and yours says you're like really creative," she said as earnestly and clearly as possible. His gaze seemed to shift momentarily to confusion. _Good_, she thought, _the anger's gone for a minute. Now's the chance to say something profound_. Her mind raced as she tried to think of something to say. With a superiority and anti-narcissistic complex, any compliments or conversations had to be made carefully. She tried to remember how one of her first psychology professors had told her classroom to handle someone in the middle of an emotional rampage. "And, hey, you're really not as ugly as you think you are," she added proudly. He narrowed his gaze at her in a combination of what she could only guess was both utter bewilderment at her comment and perhaps a slight twinge of gratitude. "I mean, you've got really nice . . . um, eyes. Yeah, you are really not unattractive."

"That's it? That is how you would assuage the anger of someone whose deepest privacy you've assaulted?" he asked. "You tell them they are really not unattractive? That is what you consider profound?"

_No, not gratitude . . . definitely bewilderment and now sarcasm_, she thought. She drew in a deep breath as he took one step closer and she pressed her back against the wall. "I really can't think of anything else to say right now because I really don't think I'm going to live through the next few minutes," she confessed.

The two stared at one another in silence for a few beats, Darcy waiting for him to finally go ballistic and Loki waiting to see if she would collapse like the maidens of legend. When she continued to simply return his gaze he grinned, then laughed, then hurled the journal at her. Darcy reacted quickly, catching the book in both hands and staring at him as baffled as ever. He reached out and seized her by the shoulder and looked deeply into her eyes. "You seem to have courage alongside the intellect my brother proclaimed you to have," he said with a tone of admiration. Darcy wasn't sure just how much Thor had said about Jane since being home and how Loki who had not been in the palace itself, had heard even one sentence of it. He began walking down the hallway, pulling her beside him. She followed, still gripping the book. "You never answered my question."

"What question?" she asked, trying to recall what had been said before this recent eruption of lunacy.

"You remarked that it was no wonder that I was and then never told me what I was," he said calmly. The two stopped abruptly and he pulled her in front of him, now gripping both her shoulders tightly. His eyes burned with anger yet again, the moods changing as swiftly as clouds rolling through a midsummer sky. "So tell me, what am I?" Darcy said nothing, wondering if he truly wanted to know or if he was simply going to continue ranting. He growled. "Well?"

Darcy found herself in a most awkward and difficult situation yet again. How does one communicate with not only a deranged sorcerer who happens to be an immortal, but also with one's captor who seemed to find the utmost joy in playing concise and dreadful mind games? She bit her lip, not breaking eye contact for a moment. If nothing else, keeping eye contact was crucial. Unlike a wild animal or someone who was criminally insane (though Darcy was beginning to think that perhaps he might be a touch criminal while being entirely insane), a methodic and sentient miscreant needed to be seen as an equal which meant eye contact as often as was possible. She breathed deeply, reminding herself that while the last phrase hadn't completely removed his anger it had interrupted it. Not to mention that earlier a stream of nonsense from her had made him all the more pleasant to converse with. She hid a grin as she thought of the perfect words. "It's no wonder you are a total head case . . ." she said slowly and deliberately. She felt his grip tighten a little before she finished. " . . . with very good handwriting and nice eyes."

Keeping with the theme of ever-changing temperament, he smirked and turned, still holding her harshly by the shoulder as they headed down the hallway. Darcy clutched the book tightly and tried to think of a way to ease herself into freedom. She suddenly realized that, while he had taken the journal, they were not headed for the library. She hesitated, causing him to turn and pull her forward angrily. "Keep up. The last thing you want in Eldred's fortress is to be left unattended," he warned.

"Wait, where are we going?" she asked, starting to fear the answer more and more with each passing second. "Don't you want to put your book back in the library or your room or something?"

"I have skills to fine tune before returning to Midgard," he replied.

"Well, isn't that what the other guy is for?" Darcy added. Where was Brenhin? He hadn't really been out of sight since she had arrived.

The two made their way down several flights of stairs and into the atrium where the only safe place to practice unrestrained magic lay quiet and waiting for chaos to ensue. Loki released his grip on her shoulder as he took a few steps forward. "Your name is written deeply on my brother's heart," he said, continuing to walk forward and finally stopping in front of a tree. He lifted both hands in front of him, summoning the casket from Jotunheim and allowing his form to display what had been hidden from him since birth. He turned to face Darcy, eyes now glowing a deep crimson and skin as blue as the false sky above them. She gasped and turned to hurry out through the door, still mindlessly holding the journal. She felt cold suddenly consume her hand and pain spread from her fingertips to her neck. A scream escaped her lips as she realized that the journal was now within a small block of ice, still surrounding her hand. Loki grinned as she knelt, crying out in pain and shock with the cold. He stood over her, the casket still levitating over one hand and eyes still as red as the blood he seemed to crave. "Now perhaps your name might be written once or twice in the next entry I record." Darcy breathed sporadically and felt the cold consume her along with darkness. He was obviously a head-case; but what more than that?


	11. Clandestine Companionship

Chapter 11: Clandestine Companionship

"Aliens? Really? That's your big revelation after billions of dollars worth of surveillance and reviewing materials?" Jane groaned. A meeting of the current S.H.E.I.L.D. personnel working along with Jane and Dr. Selvig had been called by Mr. Stark after he had claimed to find out what must have happened to Darcy.

"No, Miss Foster, if you recall what I said was that it happened as quickly and inexplicably as an alien abduction," Stark replied as he nodded to his assistant and the information being displayed on the PowerPoint moved forward. Images of the sight, of Darcy, of the incident with Thor, and other charts were placed carefully throughout the presentation. "Now, what I think happened is that one of your boyfriend's . . . um, what's his name again?"

"Thor," Jane said firmly and angrily.

"Right, Thor," Tony replied with disdain, sarcasm, and amusement making their own cocktail similar in potency to the one he was still drinking. "The uh, Norse god of thunder. Anyways, I think someone who doesn't like him came down, tried to get at all of you, saw her, and took the nearest hostage to prompt the two of you to look each other up so that they would have you where they wanted you."

"We haven't seen any anomalies; that was part of the issue," Jane corrected. "Besides, I can't think of a single enemy powerful enough or stupid enough to try and take on what I saw destroying that fire-breathing robot."

"I never said it was a sane person and it might just be a creature or another being from their world. Do they have trolls or witches or nerd-eating giants or something?" Tony added with a smirk. Jane crossed her arms and glared at him; clearly unsatisfied with this answer and the information being used as well. It bothered her that the rich and powerful Tony Start had enough money and clout to monitor even what was supposed to have been a private laboratory in New Mexico. "Does anyone want him dead or his kingdom on Mount Olympus destroyed?"

"Mount Olympus was the home of the gods in Greek Mythology, Thor is from a place called Asgard," Pepper Potts added from the other side of the room where she stood looking over some of the papers detailing what had been acquired by Stark Industries in the investigation. Her employer turned, shooting her an irritated glance and offering a sarcastic 'thank you'. "My pleasure; as your PR representative it's my job to keep you from looking ignorant."

"And you've done that, but back to the point," he added hotly. "Does he have any current enemies that know about his trip here or any of you?"

"Loki," Dr. Selvig whispered fearfully. Jane turned to him, knowing that whatever he had just said was extremely significant. Erik turned and glared at the billionaire, "In the stories I heard growing up, Loki was Thor's brother. This is something serious and you can't go around insulting people that will be helping us in the future."

"Fine, I'll take a refresher course that I hated while I was in high school and simultaneously cutting my teeth," Tony replied sharply. Jane shook her head at this verbal flex of cerebral musculature. It was widely known that Tony Stark had incredible intelligence and engineering skill as well from a young age. He had been more of an over-achiever than Jane which made her all the more uncomfortable around him. "But just which one is Loki? The god of war, the god of lightning, the god of popcorn and hairspray?"

"They're not gods, they're immortals that were treated as gods because of their powers. Loki is considered the conjurer of all mischief and trickery; he uses magic instead of strength like the rest of his family," Dr. Selvig corrected instantly. He moved over to one of the nearby steel shelves in the conference room deep in the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility. He flipped through a few pages and set down the open tome between Jane and Mr. Stark. Tony raised one brow in admiration and placed a hand on one of the pages. "He has supposedly been jealous of his brother from birth since he possessed lesser strength and power. Thor got lots of muscles and the powerful hammer, Mjolnir and Loki got the ability to shape-shift. Before those four warriors and Thor left to back he had said that he had some words to exchange with him since he had apparently been the one that sent the destroyer to us."

"The god-like immortal with the power of Thunder and storms is worried about the god-like immortal with the power to change into a pink donkey?" Stark said with a laugh. The other two turned and looked at him somberly. "Come on, the 'god of mischief'? Kidnapping is assault and criminal, not mischievous. Besides, they're brothers with supernatural powers; they've got better ways to have it out with each other ."

"Thor said he needed to have words with his brother because he had lied to him and tried to kill him as well as those four other people and everyone in the town," Jane replied. Her heart began to race and her breath caught in her throat. She looked over at her mentor in terror. "He was going to go back and deal with him since he had tried to take over. You don't think he came back and took Darcy to use against him? I mean, Thor's too noble to let her get hurt and I don't think what I've heard about his brother would be inconsistent with him using a human shield or trying to made demands with a human prisoner."

"Maybe he was after you and took the wrong girl," Pepper offered, partially out of sarcasm.

"Yeah, I'm sure an all-powerful being would choose to kidnap a girl-nerd as part of some sinister plan. He could've done better in LA, at least he could've gotten someone with a better body there and it's not like she was all that talented in your field," The two turned and, yet again, glared at the man. They had both been in agreement on and had spoken softly to one another about how pointless to the advanced sciences and awkward Darcy had been. There would be no mistaking the plain and irritating Darcy for Jane. The young woman thought for a moment and bit her lip. Although, Darcy was a little bit of a daredevil and would have taken the opportunity to protect someone else if it meant lying about her identity. Still, if Loki was superiorly intelligent, then how could he have taken the wrong woman?

"What if that's true? What could he possibly want other than what Thor has and having a hostage from earth isn't really going to help," Jane reasoned. "Thor could easily kick his butt and the rest of the kingdom would help."

"Maybe he wants something that we have," a new voice announced. The trio looked up as Nick Fury and two other agents entered slowly. Dr. Selvig moved a few steps toward him. "Did you ever find out something more useful about that cube?"

"It's a casket, a source of power from one of their realms," Erik replied. His heart sank almost completely in synch with Jane's as they came to the same conclusion. "He must know about it and how powerful it really is."

"With a human prisoner he can make demands that will concern us," Jane said unhappily. Erik grunted and slammed his fist into the back of the chair, trying to think of something, anything he had read or theorized that would bring Darcy back to them and ensure that the wrong hands didn't a hold of the tesseract. She shook her head. The rest watched as she strode over to a window, leaning against the wall and gazing out the window up at the night sky longingly and whispered. "Thor, where are you?"

(*)

Eldred looked over the trembling form of Darcy. She was shuddering and twitching involuntarily in unconsciousness. Brenhin stood off to the side, wringing his hands anxiously at the sight of the fallen girl and her bluish hand. Loki had managed to pry the book easily from her hands, but had been confused with just removing the frost had not returned the hand to normal. He had never been privy to exactly how fragile mortals really were. He had moved Darcy into the entrance room and laid her on one of long tables, extending the arm with the injured hand as he had tried every spell he could think of to restore life and warmth to it. After about ten minutes of being unable to do any good, Darcy's hand had begun to turn an even darker blue and the tips of her fingers were starting to turn black. In a panic, he had hurried to Eldred and explained the situation. When the old sorcerer had finished laughing, he agreed to look her over, though promising no aid.

"Well?" Loki asked anxiously.

"Her hand was frozen, but the magic seemed to fade as it reached her wrist." He lifted the girl's hand and looked over it more closely. "I think death has set in. You'll have to sever it."

"Sever it? You mean the whole hand?" Brenhin exclaimed. Loki had been thinking the very same thing as Brenhin took several steps forward. "But that could kill her even in the best of circumstances!"

"Humans have lived without limbs, peasant. She might be somewhat weaker, a tad mentally damaged by all the shock and loss of blood, and definitely less useful, but she will live," Eldred corrected. Loki watched as the sorcerer reached into his belt and withdrew a long, sharp blade that glowed with magical fire. His eyes widened in fear and he imagined the screaming, writhing, and pain involved. His thoughts were turned more toward what Thor and the rest of the family would do to him out of unrestrained rage, but then a shred of concern for the terror and agony the girl would experience. Eldred blew on the blade, igniting it as he gripped the girl's wrist with the other hand. "I'll cauterize this simultaneously. Less blood that way, but you'll need to have Brenhin dress it daily to prevent fatal infection. Mortals really are more trouble than they're worth to keep in one's service or use in schemes."

As the sorcerer reached down with the blade, Loki reached forward and instantly grabbed the hilt of the blade. He looked up at Eldred, hiding his concern with anger. The older sorcerer released the blade as steam rose from the entire metal surface and stepped away as ice enveloped it. Loki's eyes glowed bright crimson and he breathed heavily as he tossed the dagger to the side. He looked down at Darcy's hand still grasped in Eldred's. She was beginning to grow more still and her breaths were becoming more shallow and swift. He frowned.

"I cannot afford for such harm to come to her if I am going to exact any restitution against my brother," he said slowly and firmly. Eldred smirked and pushed the girl's injured hand into Loki's. The trickster looked down at her darkening skin and a sickening feeling wash over him as he realized just how cold the hand had become. "Just tell me what do I do to reverse this enchantment?"

"Why should I know this magic? Do I look like a frost giant?" Eldred spat back hatefully. Loki frowned as Eldred smirked. "For that matter, even a frost giant couldn't undo the effect of this enchantment. It is not in their nature to heal."

"A healer? Can't we use some sort of incantation to suspend it until after I'm finished?" Loki asked, still more concerned with what Thor would do to him than the girl falling into a shock-induced coma. He sighed heavily.

"Don't you remember anything I've taught you?" Eldred snapped. "There are few, if any, enchantments that can be reversed or undone by other enchantments. You must remove the hand or she will die."

"I won't have her mutilated," Loki replied. Eldred snarled at him. "At least not right now."

"Have it your way, then," Eldred stated with a dismissive wave of both hands. He turned and quickly hurried back down toward his own private quarters. "Let her die; slow and painful, not at all an acceptable death for a human." Darcy groaned and began to shudder more violently again, her pulse and breath momentarily quickening. Loki reached down and touched the girl's shoulder remorsefully. He had destroyed his own scheme with that wretched ice casket. It needed to be destroyed. As Eldred passed through the door leading out of the entrance room, he called back to his apprentice and servant. "Then again, you could always take her back to Midgard. For that matter, you could take her to Asgard. All of the best healers in the entirety of the nine realms live and thrive in Asgard!"

Brenhin hurried over to Loki's side and gently placed a hand on the immortal's shoulder and then looked down sadly at Darcy. He placed his other hand on the side of the girl's pale and cooler than usual cheek. "What do we do, Loki?" Brenhin asked in a soft and obviously fearful voice. Loki thought for a moment about Eldred's words and a light suddenly went on behind his eyes as they faded back to their more civil green. He reached down and quickly gathered up Darcy into his arms yet again. "What are you doing? Where are you taking her?" Loki said nothing, but Brenhin followed knowing that his master would certainly need him no matter where they were going. "We're not going to Midgard, are we? I've never had any desire to visit that awful realm. It's infested with mortals and poisons!"

"We're not going to Midgard," Loki replied. He gripped Darcy tightly and continued to go over the small, impromptu, and infallible plan he had created. His eyes began to glow as they headed out of the fortress and stood inside the circle where he had first departed from Sylvannheim years before. Brenhin joined him and frowned, shaking his head as he realized at least part of what Loki was thinking. "We're going back to Asgard."


	12. Volstagg's Secret

Chapter 12: Volstagg's Secret

The great hall was filled with all the usual palace citizens including the proper royal family. Frigga sat beside her husband looking almost as unsettled as her son who joined them with his four friends several moments after the meal had begun. All of them looked weathered and irritated; except, of course, for Volstagg who was impossibly upbeat even if only to a modest degree after their searching. Once Brenhin and Loki had arrived in Asgard, he had left them close to the base of the hilltop of the healing house in a cluster of large trees. Brenhin had been instructed to wait with Darcy and keep her alive . . . or else, while the trickster had made himself invisible and hurried into the palace to find someone to help. He slipped easily among the guests and servants; eying his parents and brother with contempt. Thor leaned forward and laid his head in one of his hands in exhaustion. Odin looked toward his son.

"How many realms have you searched?" the king asked.

"Three," Sif replied quickly. Odin shot her a glance of disapproval. She might have proven herself a powerful warrior, but it was still not her place to answer the king a question asked to his son. She placed a hand on Thor's shoulder. "The traveling cloaks Heimdall provided worked well, but we didn't find them."

"There are only a few realms where he could hide the mortal," Hogun added softly. "She cannot survive just anywhere."

"We even searched Jotunheim already, not that she would survive that kind of captivity. Their new king was an awful monstrosity," Fandral added. "You wouldn't believe how ungrateful those beasts were! Thor saves their lives from Loki's nefarious plan and they still tried to kill us all. Can you believe that?"

"And what of Midgard? Did you search the unseen realm or the Otherworld?" Frigga asked, suddenly interested in joining the conversation. Odin glanced in her direction and took her hand. Despite his best efforts, he had been unable to comfort his queen sufficiently. He had even repeatedly reminded her that Loki was not her child, not really, but this had only seemed to aggravate her sadness. Knowing he was alive and being aware of the search for the mortal seemed to have lifted her spirits. "Surely the Fey have the power to locate them."

"Midgard is complex and vast, we have saved it for last," Thor replied heavily. He shook his head. "We will continue our search as soon as we have had our fill here."

"You cannot keep your senses tuned leaving so soon without rest," Odin interjected firmly. Thor turned to him and Loki could see that his brother's eyes appeared to have been stained with tears in the last few hours, though he couldn't think of a single reason why. Even with Jane abducted, Thor had no reason to sorrow. He shook his head and grasped the chalice in front of him, drinking slowly from it. "And as for the Fey," Odin remarked as he gave a side glance to Frigga. "I forbid you any contact with them. You have enough dangers to worry about. The Fey are more dangerous and less compassionate than Laufey on a bad day."

"Or Loki on a good day," one of the other courtiers remarked. Nearly everyone at the table laughed heartily in agreement. "The kingdom has never been more at peace since his departure; no one's been terrorized by a rat in their clothing for days!"

Loki growled softly and watched his mother rise swiftly and hurry out of the room. Odin said nothing, but did grin at the jest. Even Thor seemed a little amused at this and the corners of his lips turned upward slightly. Loki watched the crowd angrily and, overwhelmed with a desire to create some sort of nuisance, began to summon all available clouds in the sky. He grinned and relished the thought of bringing in a sudden rainstorm indoors over their precious gathering. The very thought of all the guests and his father and brother being soaked, struck, and confused while trying to escape the gale was exceptionally satisfying. Before he could summon the rest of the clouds, he watched as an old familiar figure stand and indignantly leave the table as well, heading after the queen. Loki abandoned the storm clouds, suddenly remembering the reason he had come to Asgard in the first place and that he was indefinitely running out of time. Volstagg followed the queen as she headed out to one of the balconies and looked out into the stars sadly.

"Your Majesty," Volstagg said softly as he approached her. Frigga continued to face the sky, saying nothing. "I know what troubles you."

"Do you?" Frigga said, a tone of anger in her voice as she turned to him. Volstagg frowned. "You see him as just another enemy, another creature to pursue on your grand adventures, a trophy to give you stories to exaggerate for centuries to come." She sighed sadly and fought away tears. "There will never be peace in the kingdom again," she whispered. Volstagg moved to stand beside her and gently took her hand. "The royal family is divided and Odin has set us on the path toward Ragnarok for sure."

"My lady," Volstagg said comfortingly. Loki's eyes began to burn with anger. Was one of the warriors trying to woo his mother during such a vulnerable time? He knew Volstagg had extreme appetites, but this was unforgiveable! Again, Loki suddenly felt the urge to summon lightning, but this time for a different purpose and locale. The ginger-bearded warrior clutched her hand tightly. "Your son is full of many things, many talents, but I do not believe evil is one of them."

"As long as the mortal is in danger, the four of you must be vigilant. As soon as she is returned I am sure that Odin and I can restore our family," she said squeezing Volstagg's hand for a moment. He bowed to her momentarily and then turned to leave the chamber. Frigga turned back to the balcony and placed both hands on the railing. Loki watched her for a moment and noted that Volstagg had also hesitated. She turned her head to glance in his direction, lifting her brow inquisitively.

"If Your Majesty feels overwhelmed again, you might send for my niece. She is young, but a wonderfully skilled healer and a somewhat powerful comforter," he said with a chuckle. "Oh! I nearly forgot I promised I would look in on her before I left . . . I must make haste."

The man's voice trailed off as he hurried away down the hall. Frigga allowed a brief grin to cross her face at the sight of him trotting away. It was unusual and had to be an important situation to take Volstagg away from the meal table in the great hall especially following any journey. She breathed deeply and turned back to watch the sky. Loki slowly approached her, still cloaking himself in magic to prevent any unwanted eyes from spotting him. His heart ached at seeing his mother especially after the shock earlier in the day. He reached out one hand toward her slowly, ready to ask for her help in taking care of the mortal, but then stopped. How could he explain this to her? He really couldn't be sure of what would happen if he showed himself to her now. He reluctantly withdrew his hand and clutched it into a fist, desperately trying to think of another plan. He could still hear Volstagg's footsteps marching away heavily and thought of the warriors that would still be searching for him. He froze as another surge of ideas met him. Drawing in a deep breath, he became an unseen vapor and hurled his essence down the hallway. Once Volstagg was a decent distance between both the great hall and his interlude with Frigga, Loki appeared in front of him. Volstagg cried out and stumbled backwards a few paces. Before the warrior could respond, Loki reached out and seized him by the shoulder, disappearing once more and this time taking them both back to the base of the hill where he had left Brenhin, although a safe enough distance away to keep the warrior from seeing Darcy straight away.

"What's this? Where in the name of all the ancients have you been?" Volstagg demanded as Loki centered himself and glanced around, making sure that he could release the grasp on invisibility and not have to shield them both from anyone wandering around. "Do you have any idea what kind of chaos you've caused your brother and poor mother? Where is that mortal you've abducted, where?"

Loki took a step away from the man and put up both hands. His memories of the man were not nearly as mixed as those with the other warriors; Volstagg had easily been the kindest and friendliest of the small group of friends. The information he had revealed a moment before made him not only the best person to approach for the trickster, but also the most useful. "Good Volstagg, please hear me," he said quickly. The warrior growled and placed a hand on the hilt of the sword at his side. Loki glanced at it and waved one hand, causing the sword to fly free from the hilt and land yards away. Volstagg turned and glared at the youth. "Please, I ask only that you hear me."

"Do I have a choice? Why disarm me if you only want my presence," the man demanded as he began approaching the man angrily. Loki stood perfectly still and frowned, still holding his hands up protectively. "You sat by on the throne while your brother suffered alone on . . ."

"My brother has NEVER suffered!" Loki suddenly shouted. The sound of the youth's incredible volume caused Volstagg to not only pause, but also slightly tremble. He had never heard this before and wasn't sure it was a good sign in the least. Loki breathed deeply and suddenly heard Darcy groaning from a distance away. He turned back to the man. "Please, good Volstagg, I need your help."

"You swore vengeance on your brother, sent the Destroyer to kill me and the rest of my friends, and you abducted an innocent mortal all to torment your family," Volstagg replied angrily. "Why should I listen to you when you would not indulge my request as my king?"

"Because you're the only person in Asgard I can trust to aid me in any good deed," Loki replied flatly. Volstagg looked at him in surprise. "I need your help."

"A good deed from you is not unheard of, but is not without a personal motive; don't think I haven't remembered that," Volstagg added. He narrowed his eyes at the trickster noticing that he seemed desperate and not in any sense malicious for the time being. Despite what Thor had claimed up and down, it seemed at the moment that the perpetrator of all mischief and deception was being completely sincere. "Why in the nine realms would you trust me?"

Loki looked deeply into the warrior's eyes. "You were the only one that didn't laugh with the rest of them. And because of all the things you see in me, evil is not one of them," he replied. Volstagg stepped backward, shocked at those words. Loki grinned. "Good Volstagg," Loki said as he knelt and placed a hand over his chest. "I truly and desperately need your help."


	13. Darcy and Drifa

Chapter 13: Drifa and Darcy

"Well that's a huge help, thank you so much for your priceless input," Jane snapped as she turned angrily away from Nick Fury. She stormed down the hallway from her new laboratory after receiving news that her research would not be sent to the American Journal of Physics until it had been reviewed and approved by S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. She threw a manila folder full of documents that she had been holding back over her shoulder at him. He groaned and knelt, sweeping them up in one move as he followed. "Now, if you'll excuse me I'm off to do six years of more research that can't be shared with the scientific community!"

"That's not what I said, Miss Foster, and you're over-reacting," Fury replied as he tried to keep up with her. "Just try to calm down and I'll explain this if you would just listen for five minutes . . ."

"No, _**you**_ listen for five minutes," Jane retorted as she whirled around and grabbed the file back from him. "There are brief and I mean very brief windows in which research can be added to the vast mix that lands on the desk of the American Board of Physicists every single year. That's not to mention the Nobel Laureate considerations they have to make and the new threads of research they review to either begin or continue." Nick sighed heavily and frowned as she continued to rant while another member of the initiative stepped into the hallway a few paces behind her, watching her intently and in confusion. "And you want me, the one person who has gone beyond the threshold of proving the existence of other civilizations in realms beyond our own, namely those that were thought to at one time be supernatural, and you want me to wait for your approval?" She thrust the folder back into his arms angrily as she finished. "Bite me!"

"Miss Foster," Nick said as he tried to hand the file back to her. She shoved it harshly back into his hands as the man that had walked in behind her looked into Nick's good eye, terribly confused. Jane still seemed completely oblivious to the man who had joined them, and Nick was wondering if the issue with Jane would be resolved in time for the Avengers Initiative to take its full position. She had been butting heads with operatives and agents for days, still complaining about her missing assistant. He huffed and glanced back at the man, giving him a nod as Jane took a few more angry breaths and waited for him to say something else. "I am trying to follow a very specific protocol to keep our situation and your research running at its best while trying to deal with international terrorists and apparently a couple of supernatural ones, too."

"Screw your protocol, Mr. Fury," Jane continued angrily. He raised one brow at her. "I barely get to spend more than a half an hour a week with my key research partner and mentor thanks to your little cube project; I'm completely without an assistant; I'm having to dodge repeated harassment from that pervert Stark, now you're telling me that I can't present my own findings." He shook his head and tried to think of something else to say to rectify the situation and move on to more important issues. "Fine, you know what, fine. I'll just go back to my government sanctioned research area and forget about the under-appreciation and complete lack of respect in this God-awful compound. Where'd you and the government get your program guidelines for this ridiculous initiative, anyway? Hitler's little black book?"

"Are you comparing the United States' Government to Nazis?" the man behind her suddenly said angrily. Jane turned, noticing the young man that had been waiting to speak with Nick Fury as he finished with Jane's complaint. She stared at the brown-haired, blue-eyed, and muscular youth that had recently re-joined the initiative. He wasn't as large as Thor, but his build was nearly as impressive. She paused for a moment, thinking about how much she missed the Asgardian Prince and everything about him. She frowned at the young man and stared into his eyes. "I don't think that's something to joke about."

"Well they certainly aren't displaying the patriotic sense of liberty our forefathers wanted for their descendants," she retorted, turning back to Fury again. "You stole my research and my equipment. You stood by while a blatant breach in security costs me my assistant. And now you're preventing me from sharing my hard work with the scientific community without approval; that doesn't sound like the freedom I'm guaranteed in the Constitution."

"And you think arguing about it with me is going to change the entire system?" Fury finally said firmly to Jane, forcing the file back into her hands. She scowled at him as he pushed past her and headed toward the new figure that had entered the hallway. "Captain Rogers, I've been needing to speak with you."

The young man nodded and looked over at Jane skeptically. She shook her head and turned back towards the lab angrily. Fury ignored this and led the way to where Selvig was still looking over the tesseract that had been found in his frozen plane. Fury ignored the angry muttering from Jane not far away and continued in the opposite direction. Selvig had been hard at work as if being guided by some unseen strength and force. He had barely needed rest or food, completely focused on the task at hand while in the cube's presence. Only when Jane managed to pry him completely free of the room had there been any semblance of a human being in Eric Selvig. Nick Fury was a little unsettled at the man's focus, but expected nothing less from a man devoted to astrophysics. What he needed now was input from the pilot of the craft . . . the last person to really see the tesseract in action. The issue with Jane would be resolved when Thor inevitably returned which Fury thought would be quite soon in thinking that a relic of Odin's had fallen back into the attention of humankind. He thought about mentioning that Stark had still been hard at work trying to find Darcy, but he didn't want to waste another moment with someone determined to be hostile. Besides, with Thor's inevitable return, her assistant would also be returned.

(*)

Before approaching Brenhin and Darcy, Loki had summoned enough magic to disguise Darcy's appearance once more. Of course this limited what he could do in the meantime, but while saving her life he hardly thought he would need to summon anything else or transport the two of them out of the realm anytime soon. Volstagg took note of the young woman that Brenhin was carrying, red hair and pale skinned, certainly not the mortal he had abducted in the first place. But this girl hardly seemed familiar as a citizen of Asgard. Loki explained that she was an apprentice to the same sorcerer and like family, careful not to mention Eldred in the process. Brenhin shook his head in disapproval as Volstagg led the way and Loki continued to lead him along another stream of lies. The warrior led the way to the very rim of the city where a small dwelling that appeared quite old stood. Volstagg explained that his 'niece' was the mysterious oracle, Drifa.

Drifa had been very young when it was prophesied that she would one day rule in Laufey's stead during the first few months of the long war with Jotunheim. Her immediate family had been killed, but Drifa had managed to survive the assault despite Laufey sealing her in a barrel in a thick ball of ice. After three weeks, the ice had melted and Drifa emerged, white haired and clear-eyed. Since then she had trained as a healer, studied many forms of magic, and had been in the care of various people who were supposed to have been related to her. While it was unknown how she was truly related to any of the current generations, Volstagg explained that no one questioned it. She was known to those closest to her, but to most of the rest of Asgard, she was a well-kept secret. The king and queen knew of her survival as well, but felt it best to say nothing even in the wake of Laufey's demise.

He remarked as they neared the dwelling that Drifa had hardly seemed to age over the past thousands of years partially due to the magic she had taken in from the ice itself and the rest of the family assumed it was due to the trauma of the attack. Volstagg laughed and continued to explain that the visits with relatives that involved her were often strained and unusual, but that Drifa primarily lived on her own and preferred his company when she could have it. She seemed to feel safest around him and he asserted that she treasured his kinship above anyone else in her surviving family as they reached the dwelling.

"There just hasn't been anyone else she seems to favor is all I'm saying," he continued. Loki heaved a huge sigh as they approached the door. "Drifa's an odd duck, but I wouldn't change a thing about the whole situation."

"I don't suppose any of your family would have hidden the incident from her had she been young enough to forget," Loki remarked at thinking of his own situation with family that was not his own and hearing about another individual. Although he did have a greater disadvantage than Drifa since she was, indeed, an Asgardian. He gave a brief recollection of what Odin had revealed as Volstagg took hold of the handle for a moment.

"Did Frigga know about this?" Volstagg asked in amazement.

The trickster sighed and closed his eyes momentarily before turning back to his friend. "No; she suckled me completely oblivious to the fact that I hadn't issued forth from her womb," Loki replied sarcastically. Volstagg lifted one brow, signaling to the trickster that he hadn't received the message. "Of course she knew, you fool. She and everyone else in the palace seemed to know . . . I wonder if he knew."

"If who knew?" Volstagg asked, still a little taken aback by this news.

"Never mind," Loki said waving a hand dismissively.

The door opened suddenly.

Drifa stood between the two and stared down at the disguised form of Darcy unhappily. She reached out one hand toward the girl and then waved it to the side causing her to disappear and Brenhin as well. Loki felt his heart stop for a moment as Drifa turned to her uncle figure. "Shouldn't you be getting back to the palace and your friends?" she said in an innocent and lovely tone.

"I should be getting back to the palace and my friends," Volstagg said as if being given the words directly. Loki turned and stared at him in confusion. He laughed and rubbed his head. "My friends, I meant _**our**_ friends. Good tidings, Drifa! Don't stay too long, my prince."

She turned to face the trickster as he turned to watch Volstagg walk away jovially. "You lied to him," she said calmly and almost emotionlessly. Loki turned back to face her, still stunned that his captive had disappeared and Volstagg had simply walked away quoting this child. She looked up at him, eyes white and empty of true expression. "You won't be able to lie to me, I'm afraid."

"What did you do? Where is Jane, she could die from that wound!" he said anxiously.

"Jane is on earth, but you will return to Sylvanheim in due course," she said, turning away from. "Come, these crystals fade quickly."

"What crystals?" he asked, still looking around in confusion. He had never seen power greater than his father's or his master's. Was this girl some sort of secret weapon that Odin had hidden for years? "Why in the nine realms did you send your uncle away?"

"You were done with him," she said simply as she gripped a small, blue crystal in her hands. "And so was I. You should have been my apprentice, you know. That will also come in due course, but for now I am content to be your guide through what should have been revealed to you long ago."

"What is that?" he asked, looking down at the crystal.

"It is an ice crystal from a Limpid Pool of Time in Alfsheim," she replied flatly. He turned and stared at her as she crushed the crystal and then threw it to the floor, causing the room to freeze as if the casket itself had been hurled in its place. He looked back at her inquisitively. The room's ice slowly began to fade, leaving a room that was much larger and void of most colour from what he could see. "Do not be frightened, these are visions and nothing more."

"What is this place?" he asked, staring around the room that seemed eerily familiar. He suddenly noticed that the lack of colour was not from his senses being unsettled, but because this was the reality of this realm. He could see his breath and feel a familiar chill gripping him. The room looked vaguely familiar and he knew that he was on Jotunheim; just not in a place that he had seen most recently. "I feel as though I've been here before, but I can't remember it."

"You won't remember it; even after this. It will never seem like a memory to you and well it shouldn't," Drifa replied calmly and softly. He turned to face her and she simply stared at the door to the room they were in. She stepped backward and then stood beside him looking up at him with a slight grin. "You look disquieted. Are you not at home here?"

"Of course not," he replied angrily as he turned back to her.

His breath and heartbeat had thoroughly increased and he was now beginning to regret coming to see this healer. He should have gone through with his initial plan and seen his mother. He had never strayed from a plan like this before; why had he felt so compelled now? There were sounds of a struggle outside the door; he could hear a faint and fierce voice and the cries of a woman. He narrowed his eyes and waited as the doors flung open. Laufey, unmistakable even now when he seemed some years younger, held a young woman tightly by her long, dark hair. Loki took a step back as the Jotun King dragged the woman into the room and threw her against the wall past them. She landed with a sickening thud, but still managed to straighten herself and he could now see that she was holding a bundle tightly in her arms against her chest. His eyes widened, realizing what Drifa was showing him. The woman looked faintly Asgardian, but mortal as well. Her eyes were bright green like his own and she had odd-shaped ears that seemed to come to a point instead of a smooth ridge at their tops. This must have been one of the women of the lost race, Alfskind, the elves. She stared back at Laufey angrily, sadly, and then defiantly.

"It can't be," he whispered. Drifa grinned and her eyes glowed.

"Do yourself a favor and smother that defective little monstrosity before I return for what's left of you. Your people owe me a son, not a deformed half-mutant," Laufey said hatefully.

Loki did not turn and watch the Jotun slam the doors shut, but continued to stare at the woman intently. He and Drifa stood staring and did so for some time; the two felt as if hours had passed and Drifa knew well that in the past days had passed before the vision that now sat before them of the she-elf Marya and her infant son, still unnamed. Finally, instead of sitting against the wall and cradling the child, the sounds of war came from beyond the door to the room and Marya looked up. Loki could see that in this time frost had formed around her features, haloing her like a water fairy. She leaned down and looked into her son's eyes. He had barely made a sound since their imprisonment and still looked very much like her offspring. She frowned and sobbed heavily as she reached down with one hand and touched his face. Loki took a step towards her, trembling, as she reached down and smoothed her fingers over the top of the baby's ears smoothing them down and causing the rest of him to begin to glow the blue that was now covering her once warm features. The sounds of voices and quarreling came closer to the door and Marya crawled to the centre of the room and set the child down, laying the blankets over him as best she could. He had another two days to survive at least being part Jotun. Loki felt his heart ache terribly as she kissed the top of his head.

"I will always be close to you, closer than you know until the end," she whispered. Her eyes lit up as she reached down and touched the side of his face one last time. "Loki, always close."

The infant stirred at this and finally began to fuss as his mother left his side and barely made it back to the wall before collapsing. At this, Loki ran forward and knelt, trying desperately to take hold of who must have been his mother, but found that he had no strength to lift her. She was still breathing and shuddering ever so slightly as the doors burst open once more. Loki turned and watched Drifa stand perfectly still at the sight of Odin and two of his guards entering the room. His eye was not covered by the golden patch and was still bleeding quite profusely for the time being. He turned to the two beside him. "Search the temple; bring me anything you find that might give them the power to strike again," he ordered. As he moved forward, the infant still lying on the floor began to wail loudly and Marya began to grow more blue and still. Loki felt his heart ache all the more and begin to sink as he realized that he didn't have the strength to even lift his mother to him now that he had the chance. "Who do we have here?" Odin said as he knelt and took the infant carefully in both hands.

Marya suddenly drew in a deep breath. "Loki," she said as loudly as she could, shaking terribly now. Loki looked down at her as Odin turned toward her. She groaned and turned her head toward Odin who realized that this must have been her child, though it had appeared Jotun when he had taken him into both hands. He looked down at the child and the blue flesh suddenly grew warm and he ceased fussing, smiling up at the All-Father with infantile gratitude. Marya drew in another deep breath as her grown son tried once more to take hold of her, finding himself still without the strength to do so. "Loki, Laufeyson," she continued.

Odin looked down at her and frowned, realizing that she was beyond his help if she had resigned the boy to his Jotun heritage. No she-elf in her right mind with a chance for survival would allow her child to live among such barbaric creatures even if she had mated with one. He had heard the rumors about Marya of the Alfskind having given herself to Laufey, but now that an offspring had been created Odin quickly decided against going back and executing Laufey in front of the rest of his kindred. Instead, he would make sure that the brute saw that his child would be taken to Asgard. That would put a permanent crease in the history of these monsters. "Loki," Odin replied, and then looked back at the she-elf with a slight smile. "Odinson," he added. She smiled and then nodded as best she could. The two guards returned and bowed telling their king that they had found nothing in the temple since finding the casket. She shuddered harshly and closed her eyes for a moment. Odin and the two guards turned and left hurriedly, the infant in tow. Loki looked down at Marya, feeling the need to gasp as breath began to escape him in this cold, lifeless environment. He looked up as the three men neared the door.

"What are you doing, you fool?" he whispered harshly. He stood slowly as the men hesitated in the doorway, Odin giving the two a few instructions as they stood. "You idiot, _**you **__**thief**_! She's alive, do something! Help her!" he shouted as loudly as he could toward his adoptive father. Odin ignored his cries, as was par since he had been a young man, but this instance was inexcusable. He stood and watched as Marya closed her eyes one final time, a tear running down her cheek and freezing almost instantly to the frost already clinging to her. He felt his heart nearly burst and his breath leaving him at this sight. She was so very young and obviously loved him, but she had been stripped of the right to raise her own child. He turned angrily toward the sight of Odin leaving the chamber. He summoned what was left of his strength and the form of the casket in both hands, hurling a ball of ice toward the younger version of his father. The ice hit the air just behind him and formed a crystalline wall. He panted as Drifa turned and frowned at him. He fell to his knees, trying to gather and compute what had just transpired. Pain radiated sharply throughout his chest and head. The ice wall began to grow and soon consumed both Loki and Drifa, closing out Marya and the rest of the temple. He noted that the woman had stopped moving entirely and that he had been entirely powerless, even now, to get any answers or love from his real mother. He growled and then let out a roar, hurling another surge of energy from the casket at the wall of ice. It hit the wall with a sickening crack and sprayed ice around both of them. Loki closed his eyes and let out a cry of pain as the wall began to crack and dissipate around the two of them. Drifa frowned and turned to him as the whole ice realm disappeared and the home of the seer returned. She stood in front of him as he knelt on the floor, trying to push away the surge of heartbreak that had taken him so suddenly at such a nightmarish vision.

"Do you understand now?" Drifa asked.

He looked up at her. "Why did you show me that appalling excuse for a vision?" he demanded in a low tone. He looked up at her and seethed. "Why?"

"You still don't understand," she said unhappily and bowed her head, shaking it in disappointment. He growled as she turned away from him. "I will have to show you more, I suppose. You will understand by the time all of the truth is revealed." He growled and found the strength to stand as he glared at her. She looked back into his eyes with staunch defiance. "There are five crystals left. When you have seen the truth, your hunger for deception will be somewhat more assuaged," she said with a nod toward him. He growled and began to summon the casket. She frowned. "After all that I have done for you . . ." Her features began to glow brilliant white as he formed a large surge of icy energy. "I will come for you again when you are ready to continue."

"Charlatan!" he shouted furiously. As the energy left his hands he felt the world spin beneath him and the floor suddenly disappear. The energy surge disappeared as the sight of the room around him warped and contorted in a twisting spiral of colours. Loki was sure that he had screamed loudly at this, but there was no sound in this moment. He had never experienced suspension like this, but there was something similar between his fall to earth and this particular moment. As the spinning ceased and another room formed around him, he felt his heart and breath return to their normal states and begin to slow with the sounds of either pounding loudly in his head. "Idiot, thief, charlatan," he repeated in a hoarse whisper. The room slowly became familiar. These were his quarters in Sylvanheim. He collected his own energy and centered himself as he forced the images away from his mind and stood, gripping the wall and leaning against it. "Mother . . ."

"Loki?" Brenhin asked from the doorway.

The trickster slowly turned back to his old friend and comrade. "Brenhin . . ." he managed, finding more strength as the seconds passed. "Where is Jane, is she here?"

"Of course she is, she is in her chambers resting as you commanded," Brenhin replied cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, shaking his head. He thought a little more about the images that had played before him and the notion of being something other than the misshapen offspring of a frost giant. His mother had been Alfskind? Why had Odin not mentioned this when he had told him about his origin? The least the old man could have done for his adopted child would be to tell him everything he could about finding him until falling into the slumber. He groaned and made his way to the door. "I will see about her, then." Brenhin frowned and shook his head as he watched his master's apprentice head down the hallway. Whatever the youth had seen, it had sincerely disturbed him. This was the last time Brenhin would involve himself at all in Loki's nonsense . . . it only lead to further madness in the end.


	14. Nauthiz Revealed

Chapter 14: Nauthiz Revealed

Eldred heard his apprentice's return and had felt the mortal return as well. Both irritated him and satisfied him at the same time. He was glad that everything had returned to its former state and that his apprentice would be present to read the vision that he was summoning in the cauldron he stood over anxiously. He could see the tesseract, but something was trying to surface besides the powerful cube. Eldred knew that with it he could bring himself to ruling all the nine realms with Odin's Jewel. All he needed was for his apprentice to collect it along with the information that he could gather on the surface. Eldred had his limitations at the moment and knew that with both Sylvan Alfskind and Jotun blood in him that his inclination toward magical prowess exceeded his own as far as magnitude. What made Eldred more powerful than his apprentice, and perhaps most dangerous, was that he knew how to use these strengths and the youth's weaknesses against him in the most efficient of ways with an indeterminable amount of patience. He could hear the young man's footsteps approaching the girl's assigned quarters and his heart seemed to still be racing. Eldred shook his head and considered listening to the next few moments, but the idea of having to sit through meaningless drivel between his apprentice and that vapid mortal were nauseating. Instead, he turned back to the books on his desk both filled with information and blank waiting for information.

(*)

Loki opened the door to his captive's room quickly and felt nearly as anxious to see her as he had when standing in the vision of the temple. He stared in confusion at the form of the girl lying asleep peacefully on her bed. Her colour had returned and she seemed to be breathing as if nothing terrible had befallen her. He moved slowly to the bedside and reached under the blanket covering her, taking hold of her wrist and pulling it toward him slowly. It felt warmer, certainly, but had the damage been removed? As he took her hand and wrist fully in both his own he noted that there was no sign of ever having been frozen. He sighed heavily and gently sat down on the edge of the bed silently. She stirred for a moment, but didn't wake. He looked down at her form, relieved that they had made it back safely and presently after accomplishing the task.

"She's been asleep since before your return," Brenhin said. Loki jumped at hearing his voice, unaware that the servant had been close behind him this whole time. Brenhin had never seen the young sorcerer so anxious before. He frowned. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked quietly. Loki nodded, not taking his eyes off of the mortal. "Well, you certainly took long enough. You were practically gone half the night."

"It felt longer," Loki muttered. He looked down at the smooth pale skin, warm and soft in his hands. It was a novel feeling and despite Fandral's intimate descriptions of the women he had laid with, nothing came close to describing the unusual thrill he was feeling at the moment. To be terrified at the thought of having her dying one moment and then this peaceful beside him was almost intoxicating. This was what had softened his brother, he realized. He shook himself and placed her hand back on the bed. He narrowed his eyes and then turned slowly to Brenhin at realizing there had been no sleeve whatsoever on her arm. "Brenhin, is she . . . nude?"

"Of course," Brenhin replied. The servant shook his head as his younger master leapt off the bed and did his best not to scold Brenhin as loudly as he obviously wanted to. "I wasn't about to have her sleeping in those clothes in case a fever followed everything else. Besides, I'm sure she's more comfortable like this."

"Whether she is comfortable or not does not excuse the impropriety," he whispered harshly and turning a faint shade of pink. Brenhin hid a smile and looked away. The two suddenly heard Eldred's voice from deeper in the fortress. Darcy shifted again as the older sorcerer finished calling for his apprentice. He turned back to the girl for a moment and then scowled back at the servant. "Stay here until she awakens and make sure that she is clothed before anything else happens."

Brenhin watched the youth hurry out of the room and down the hallway toward his master. He shook his head and took the trickster's place on the side of the bed, looking down at the girl's face with contentment. "He really has no idea how happy he could be if he would just love one of your kind . . . a woman, I mean. I don't know if being mortal would make that much of a difference, but it would certainly be easier than finding a fellow Asgardian," he remarked as she stirred and shifted again, muttering in her sleep. Brenhin thought it odd that she was muttering her own name, or at least what his younger master had told him her name was. He reached down and touched the side of her face. "Who knows, though, perhaps he'll become as intelligent as he thinks he is one day and you'll still be this lovely."

(*)

"You managed to return from Asgard unscathed, I see," Eldred muttered. He felt a change in the boy, although he couldn't place exactly what had changed. Loki approached him, looking irritated at the summoning.

"Master Eldred it is very late and I . . ." he began.

"Have neglected your duty to me for the sake of the trinket you took," Eldred interjected angrily. Loki frowned and rolled his eyes. He had left Asgard to get away from this kind of nagging and aggravation. Eldred slammed a large book closed and glared firmly at his apprentice. "Do not think that you can slip away from what is owed to me, little prince. I am not your family and I do not feel obligated to treat you with kindness. I share what I have with you; my home, my servant, my books, and my knowledge and I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain."

"I have never asked anything of you beyond our bargain, Eldred, do not speak to me as if I have in any way done less than what you've asked of me," Loki corrected. hotly. Eldred slowly stepped out from behind the desk where he had been seated and walked slowly over to the cauldron where he had seen something unusual a short time prior. Loki watched him cautiously and noted that his master didn't feel like standing his ground or making a display which meant that something more important had been on his mind. The apprentice, still feeling shaken by the vision from before, folded his hands behind him and approached the cauldron as well. Part of him realized that Eldred was right, of course; he had neglected recording a volume a week for the old sorcerer and reviewing a volume of his work for blank pages or missing sections. This had been the agreement regardless of need for time spent away from Asgard since he had been a much younger prince. He remembered the bargain reaching fruition and finding the tasks far less tedious at fourteen or fifteen years of age. Back then he even kept the journal daily and writing down facts seemed more important than the pursuit of a title and acceptance. Even Eldred seemed less tiresome a creature back then. He looked into the cauldron briefly. He narrowed his eyes as something strange came to the surface.

"What do you see?" Eldred asked, noting that his apprentice had gone from irritated to suddenly interested in what had appeared on the surface of the foaming liquid.

"I see a symbol, a rune," he said. He looked more closely. "A rune within my father's tesseract."

"Then it is something important indeed," Eldred said, hiding well how ecstatic he was to think that the symbol might have been the powerful Nauthiz, a rune that Eldred had sought for years before making his home in Sylvanheim. One might have said that his bargain with Loki was based entirely on its finding, although Loki had no knowledge of it. Eldred waited a moment. "Do you recognize it?"

Loki stared down at the symbol, watching it shift and dance on the surface. He frowned. For all the time he had spent studying magic and writing it down, he had never taken time to memorize the oldest runes in their entirety. He tried to recall it from years past, but couldn't remember at all what this symbol was. "No," he said softly, still trying to look down at the symbol and place it. He looked up at his master and shook his head. "I don't recognize this rune. It must be very old."

"Then you should know it after the years you've spent studying the oldest forms, or perhaps you didn't attend to your studies then as well as you would've done now," Eldred replied with a tone of contempt. Loki didn't seem to recognize it, but instead went hurriedly over to the desk and found one of the books open to a blank page as well as a pen. He quickly dipped it in ink and scribbled out the two lines intersecting at just the right location to form the symbol he had seen. He glanced up and nodded toward his master who joined him shortly. He set the book before Eldred and waited for the master's reply. Eldred grinned brightly. "Nauthiz, the stone of conflict resolved, of closings, of destiny."

"What does that have to do with the tesseract?" Loki said as he looked back down at the symbol, trying to remember if he had, indeed, seen this symbol before and still couldn't place it. "The cube is has no symbols at all and I've never seen this in the palace before."

"I am sure the rest will be revealed to _**you**_," Eldred said now appearing very pleased with the situation. The sorcerer waved one hand over the cauldron and the visions within disappeared as he took the drawing and the book in one hand. He looked back at his apprentice, very content at what had just been revealed. "You shall return to Midgard tomorrow night. I have many questions that need to be answered, for both of us. Nauthiz is part of an ancient magic that has not been practiced for years."

"Master Eldred," he began slowly. "I don't think the stone and the tesseract are in any way connected. I swear to you that this symbol is not on it at all and it has never been used in Asgard."

"All will be revealed," Eldred said firmly with a gaze that told the trickster his master's former good mood had faded into hostility. Loki felt exhausted after the incidents of the day, the night, and the previous time spent on earth. It had actually been over a week on earth, but Darcy couldn't feel the passage of time as fully in Sylvanheim. "You are dismissed, Loki, go."

The younger sighed heavily and shook his head as he hurried towards the door. Eldred had a habit for being cryptic and confusing at times, but it was all the more irritating for this particular evening which seemed to be dragging on eternally. He stormed back to his quarters and closed the door behind him with a heavy sigh. He leaned back against the door and shut his eyes for a moment, trying to center himself even now. He had to continue with what he and his master had discussed as well as this new path with the tesseract and Jane without losing all of his time and energy to both. _Perhaps_, part of him thought, _if Volstagg was willing to hear me, then father might be willing as well. I could return home and all would be amended. Mother would surely be willing to stand and defend me_.

"And you really believe it could be that simple without a word of apology?" a familiar voice asked. Loki opened his eyes and looked around the room.

He gasped as he noted a face had appeared in the mirror over one of his desks. He stared into the face in shock as the form of Drifa grinned back at him. She reached through the mirror and placed both palms on the desk. He stepped back against the wall and watched as she pulled herself through the mirror and slowly climbed over the desk until she stood in front of him. She stood for a moment, appraising him, as he stared back in amazement. He had never known another being to have magic this powerful and she seemed as though she would do everything in her power to unnerve him. She turned back to the mirror and waved one hand, causing some unseen hand or blade to cut a deep gash in it as he watched. The gash began as one line, but then another began to form as well. The two lines continued forming until they made the symbol that had been seen in Eldred's cauldron. The flame in the corner torch lighting the room suddenly went out and Drifa disappeared. He moved toward the mirror and slowly, deliberately, reached one hand out towards its surface. As his fingers grazed the symbol it slowly shrank into nothing. Whatever this was, not only did Eldred seem intent upon it, but this new oracle was in on this as well. He contemplated going and reporting this to Eldred, but shook his head. The night was short enough and with all of the enchantments he would have to face, he needed to get as much rest as possible.


	15. The Fall of Darcy

(((_Just a point of conversation; according to legend not only did Sif make sweet, sweet music with Loki, but she did it repeatedly knowing that she was married to Thor and that the two were at odds. Because of this he was able to get close enough to shave her head . . . yeah, that's really funny. Anyway apparently while Thor was a good provider and really strong, Loki was a thorough and experienced lover. Score 1 for Loki. We know this because the trickster was given mead by her at a feast of sorts while he was hurling insults at the other deities. She states that she is the only blameless person in the room and Loki commences to outing her as being promiscuous with him to which someone else calls him a pervert for parading as female animals and getting himself pregnant. That's right, kids, Loki in legend gave birth to some other wierd creatures including Odin's horse. Nice_.)))

Chapter 15: The Fall of Darcy

Daylight began to pour in through the windows in the fortress in Sylvanheim. Loki looked up from the text and stared out at the clear sky overhead. He sighed heavily and set down the pen he had been using, writing an unusual entry in the journal that he had kept hidden in his own room for a few decades now. He leaned his head against one hand and turned back to the page where he had written a few possible designs for the next few days. After hours of contemplation it had occurred to him that he had seen more of the worlds than anyone else in each separate world combined, but he had never made himself known to all of them. Perhaps rulership would mean more in a place like Midgard where the beings were as frail as his captive and the realm was so very dynamic. There he would not only be superior, but he would never be bored. He contemplated this for a few moments more and then heard a strange sound. He turned and noticed that a large blackbird had settled on the windowsill and stood off to the side watching him for a few moments. It chirped and looked back at him with a side glance. He reached out one hand and allowed it to hop on, staring back at it with equal consideration.

"You have no idea how lucky you are," he said softly, bringing the bird closer to him. It shifted and ruffled its feathers for a moment. He reached down and softly touched the black feathers with his other hand, admiring the creature's beauty and freedom all in one "No responsibilities, no one to answer to; just wings and an open sky." The bird chirped at him a few times and then turned and flew suddenly back out the window. He sighed and watched the creature fly swiftly into the distance. He looked up at the open sky once more and felt the familiar sting of envy as the image of the bird disappeared into the clouds. "Someday," he muttered as he closed the book and set it back behind the brick that had hidden it for years. He stood and turned to leave the room. "Someday soon, I hope."

(*)

Brenhin paced back and forth outside the door to Darcy's quarters anxiously. He frowned and clasped his hands together, tightly. The girl had awakened and demanded that he leave to allow her to dress alone, but in more words and with a few accusations thrown in as well. Brenhin thought it best to wait for any words of defense until she was decent as well as a little more centered. From behind the door the accusations and complaints continued loudly for several moments. Darcy remembered dreaming about being trapped behind a glass door with Jane and Dr. Selvig on the other side and that they were trying to reunite to no avail. The other two had done everything in their power to try and reach their colleague, but could not get past the glass itself and only managed to make noise. She remembered calling as loudly as she could to both of them, but couldn't break the glass, either no matter how hard she tried. She was already panicked when awakening and felt no better at realizing that, while she had survived the ordeal she could faintly remember, she had been at the mercy of two complete strangers. After she was dressed and leaning against the wall, trying to slow her breathing and heart rate, reminding herself that this might all just be a hallucination. The memory of running through Puente Antigua trying to save several people and a small dog from a fire-breathing robot made her shudder now added to the memory of an angry, sinister captor staring at her happily as he froze her hand.

"Okay, this is under control, I can handle this," she muttered. She hugged herself and closed her eyes. "I can get out of this; I just need some time to think."

Brenhin knocked loudly on the door. "Miss Foster, are you alright? Are you almost done?" he asked with concern. "The master won't wait for very long and I know Loki will be wanting to make sure you're fully recovered."

"I'll be done in a minute, alright? Just stop knocking," she replied loudly. She glanced over at the window and contemplated climbing out and down to freedom. She hurried over to the windowsill and looked down, confused at seeing that her quarters now appeared to be on the first floor. Funny, she remembered them being up several flights of stairs. Still, this was a serious situation and there was no time for lengthy plans. "Just, wait for me another five minutes."

Brenhin shook his head and continued pacing. Darcy turned back to the window and placed both hands on the sill, reminding herself that this was an emergency that needed to be rectified immediately. _You don't know where you are or how to get home. If Thor hasn't been able to go back, then what in the world makes you think that you can do it by yourself? This is insanity_, she thought. _You can't climb out a window and just walk back to the research facility_!

"You have to get away from this, you can't stay here," she said aloud to herself. "He's going to kill you if he gets the chance, or worse, you can't just sit here." She continued to mutter the same to herself in various words as she lifted herself up over the wall under the window and crawled over. She felt carefully for the ledge she had seen before hopping down to the ground only a yard or so beneath that. She glanced over her shoulder, wondering where the ledge she saw could have been. She gasped and held back a scream at realizing she must have miscalculated big time. The ground was not a mere few feet away, it was several stories away and there was no ledge beneath her. She gasped and tried to pull herself back into the room, but felt all the strength leave her fingers from the shock of looking down. "Oh no," she managed to mutter before falling to the ground.

Darcy screamed and closed her eyes, unable to hide it as she fell. _This is a pathetic way to go_, a dark part of her thought as the ground grew closer. _You're kidnapped by the God of Mischief and you fall to your death climbing out of your window; lame_. The rush of wind that was disappearing quickly beneath her was interrupted and Darcy suddenly realized that she was not falling anymore. Had she died that quickly? She shifted, trying to comprehend what had stopped her fall. She felt herself lurch forward and then both feet touched the ground. A shiver moved through her at thinking that her spirit, or soul if her aunt had been right, was released and able to stand on its own. She finally opened her eyes and tried to breathe. She felt her breath catch in her throat and her voice leave entirely. She had survived and immediately wished she hadn't.

"Good morning," Loki said standing a few inches away after setting her on the ground. This trick had worked perfectly, but had almost gone wrong. He had wondered exactly what would happen, but he had expected her to take a second look out the window before trying anything. Sadly he had taken the one human that didn't look before leaping. She stared at him in disbelief for a moment and tried to center herself. She felt completely overwhelmed, but appeared otherwise unharmed. In this state she was almost amusing. "Lucky for you I have fast reflexes. One second more and you would have been flattened," he laughed. Darcy turned and, without a word, ran as fast as she could in the opposite direction. He frowned and leapt forward. "Oh, no you don't," he said, taking hold of her by the arm. The two stumbled as he turned her to face him as they stopped. She grunted and began pulling away harshly, trying to fight him without injuring herself in the process. He got a firm grip on both arms and looked deeply into her eyes. "Are you mad? This is not earth and you're not going to find help just wandering around. Brenhin and I are the only ones living in this realm that are not brutal savages and I am not going to present a corpse to my brother."

"Let go of me," Darcy said firmly and finally pulled herself free. Loki knew it would be best to release her and allow her to walk on her own for the time being. After watching the reactions of the mortals on earth, fear caused them to be irrational and he didn't have time to go chasing after her if she felt terrified. She adjusted her glasses and looked back at him angrily. None of this made sense and all of it seemed to be based solely on his whims. She began to take a few steps backwards and watched as he moved towards her. "Why did you save me?"

He gave her a confused look. "I just told you, I can't present a corpse to my brother. You're no good to me dead, which is unfortunate seeing as you mortals seem so easily broken," he replied. "Now come along, my brother will be returning to your realm in a day's time and you will join him shortly after."

Darcy continued to move backward and glared at him. "You can't bring back a corpse, but you can bring back a human popsicle? That doesn't sound right," she said angrily.

He sighed and continued moving forward. "That was a mistake and it will not be repeated, I assure you," he said. He reached out one hand toward her as she felt her back hit a large tree. She gasped and turned around realizing that she had stepped backwards into the forest without realizing it; or rather, she had fallen further than she thought she had away from the fortress. "Now come along."

"No," she said firmly. He frowned. Clearly there was no reasoning with her at the moment. "I read that book and I know for a fact that there are other creatures living on this world."

"And all of them would kill you in a heartbeat," Loki added in a low tone. He moved one step closer, looking more menacing than ever before. "I cannot make this any clearer to you. This is not earth and there are no good creatures. Master Eldred chose this world because it is savage and my father would not dare to look for him here," he said in an even lower tone. "Yes, there are other creatures here and some of them might even look like you but that would be a ruse before they kill you and eat your heart."

"But the book described . . . " she began.

"Then the book is clearly a fairytale and not to be taken seriously," he asserted. Darcy looked completely stunned at this statement. Loki wondered for a moment if this was because she was unable to determine what was real at the moment what with being in a different realm, but then realized that she seemed saddened by those words. "You have only one more day to wait here. I'd rather not have to . . ."

"One day?" Darcy asked. She thought to herself about going back and not dealing with this nonsense anymore. If he was telling the truth it would be a relief, but she couldn't exactly trust the being standing in front of her.

"I can see the fall rattled something loose that is not permitting you to hear everything I have to say; in one day's time my brother will be returning to your world and you will be joining him shortly after," he said again slowly and carefully.

Darcy thought for a minute more. There really wasn't anything else to do. She wouldn't have the strength to escape or to fight off any enemies that she might encounter. She sighed heavily and began to move forward. Loki continued to hold out his hand towards her. She narrowed her eyes at him and glanced down at his hand. He seemed genuine in this gesture and he had saved her life. She carefully reached out and took his hand. He clasped it gently and turned to walk back to the fortress, pulling her up to his side as they made their way to the stairs. She felt blood fully returning to her limbs after the fall and the strange night. He noted that the colour that had drained during her fall was returning nicely. He grinned slightly at thinking that at least this part of his plan was not only still on track, but he was able to have plenty of fun with the mortal as well. Darcy noted his smile and felt a little shiver move through her. If he was lying she was without hope, but if she could hold on a little longer than she might be able to consult the library for further information about this place. In the meantime she would need to keep his suspicions down and, as her aunt had told her was key in keeping a man happy, stroke whatever ego he had. She bit her lip and thought for a moment about how best to handle someone as shifting as he had proven to be. A thought came to her at thinking about the events of the morning and she suddenly wrapped her arms around him, causing them to stop moving entirely. He froze and allowed her to lean into him, not sure of what she was doing or how to reciprocate.

"Thank you for catching me," she said softly.

He assessed this and, determining it to be sincere, carefully put one arm around her in return and then the other. "I couldn't allow you to die like that," he said as she breathed deeply and pressed her cheek against his chest. He shifted them, moving her a little further away so that they could keep walking up into the fortress itself. "It seems a tragic waste for such a forward thinking female to succumb to something as simple as impetuousness and as base gravity." Darcy laughed at this and Loki felt something he hadn't felt without causing severe irritation for at least one other person; complete and utter fulfillment.

(*)

"You did what?" Fandral exclaimed from across the room as he stood. A great deal of shock had moved across every face in the room including his own and the never emotional Hogun. "Why?"

"He needed to be comforted and we were alone together in the middle of Nornheim," Sif replied heavily. She frowned and shook her head. "It was all a mess after that."

"That's not exactly the comforting I think he needed," Thor remarked, amused at this news more than unsettled. Volstagg simply stared at the young woman in shock, still a little confused about what had transpired at the palace the night before. His niece had not been home when he had called on her and that was certainly unlike her. Also, for the life of him he could have sworn that he had seen her earlier, though he wasn't sure how. "But that does explain a few things about the recent strain between you two. Comforting him, that seems the very definition of irony."

"I wish you had comforted _**me**_ in like manner during our exploits," Fandral said indignantly. He turned and grasped his forehead and groaned in disgust. "You slept unashamedly . . . with Loki!"

"He was the only being in a thousand stones' throw and we were sure we were going to die from the cold," Sif replied hotly to her angered friend. "That is beside the point. I tell you this to warn you, Thor, your brother is not without cunning and could be willing to torment that poor mortal beyond simply causing pain."

"I doubt my brother would be so bold; according to what I heard from him outside the healing room, he thinks he has Jane and I know he has more sense than to do something that might make me intolerably angry with him," Thor replied, drinking deeply from a cup of wine and still determined to go to earth without his friends, the subject which had sparked the unusual confession from Sif. The magic that Heimdall had been giving them to use to travel with until the bridge could be reconstructed was waning quickly and Thor worried that they might end up stranded on earth. It would be temporary, but the warriors and himself being trapped on earth would leave Asgard and his parents vulnerable to Loki's whims and that was an idea growing more real and frightening by the minute. He was glad his brother had survived, but how had it happened and why hadn't he tried to come home? He must've already had somewhere in mind to stay before the fall, Loki was never one to survive on instinct. If the trickster didn't have a plan, then he didn't have anything. Thor shook his head. "I am familiar with earth and its people. You must remain here and make sure that nothing happens to my father or mother in my absence."

"I still think we should search Alfsheim together and then you can return to Midgard, he preferred that realm before all of this," Sif replied heavily. "It is, after all, where the other masters of magic reside as a general rule."

"And I still want to know what was going through your head! It's unconscionable to even begin to think about!" Fandral exclaimed, still grasping his head. Sif turned and glared at him, signaling to him that the confession had been made and all comments that needed to be made about it were done. He frowned. "At least tell me he didn't start weeping afterward."

"Of course not," Sif replied angrily then spoke as softly as possible. "In fact that was the most spirited and lucid I've ever seen him. No doubt he will want that kind of clarity before facing you again."

"Regardless," Thor said, standing slowly. "I promised Jane that I would return and she quite clearly needs my protection until I can reason with my brother. I will go and I cannot leave this realm unprotected. I have my strength, but Asgard needs yours."

(*)

"You don't know how to make a healing stone like the one that saved Mr. Selvig, you don't know how to make plant-life grow from nothing, you don't have the power to use your mind or anything to even lift your brother's hammer meow-meer, and you don't know how to bring someone back from the dead?" Darcy asked as the two sat down once more in the large first room of the fortress. Brenhin had rushed off to do something else and Darcy had taken the opportunity to ask a few questions about the magic Loki knew. No doubt he was extremely well-trained and had centuries of knowledge, but she needed to know just what she was dealing with. After asking questions about some of the things she had seen from the objects the warriors and Thor carried as well as a few things she had seen in movies and books, Darcy was convinced that Loki was something she had hoped never to encounter, an evil wizard. "What did you spend all your time here studying anyway?"

"Deeper and more ancient magic than anyone in Asgard knew," he replied with aggravation at having his skills brought so staunchly into question. He suddenly remembered Drifa and her powers on Asgard, but did not correct himself or outwardly show the shuddering he felt inwardly. "And for the record I can make a healing stone, I simply choose not to. I could make any manner of creature I wanted appear out of nothing, but it would be an illusion and unnecessary. Not even my father has the power in his mind to lift Mjolnir although he does have the strength as the most powerful being in the nine realms. And I am not going to bring someone back from eternal rest, that is cruel," he corrected. Brenhin set a dish in front of either and then frowned, shaking his head. Darcy turned away, not impressed by the answers and definitely not as informed as she had hoped she would be. Loki noted that her expression had turned from hanging on his every word to being all but completely uninterested. It hardly mattered in the long run especially given that he was on his way to dominating her world and subjugating her people, but the disappointment felt awful. This felt almost as terribly as the disappointment on his mother's face when Thor had revealed that he had sent the Destroyer to earth. He watched her for a few moments more. "None of them are important as supreme ruler of a realm."

"Oh yeah? You're not exactly the king here, so where exactly is that?" she said, trying to be playful, but having already disappointed him seemed malicious instead. Brenhin recognized the anger forming in the youth's features and the attempt at a jest on the girl's part.

Loki turned to her with a glare. "Earth seems a fair enough target," he replied. Darcy dropped the spoon she had been holding and turned to face him in shock. He seemed pleased at her sudden anxiety and turned back to his own dish. "If the rest of your kind are as frail as you, they would be glad of a king wise enough to reign over you for centuries. You have already seen a modicum of my power."

"You're one of those now? You're just gonna up and take over the earth like some freak with a fluffy white kitty sitting in his lap, stroking it while you plot on how you're going to get rid of your brother," Darcy said disgustedly. She shook her head and turned back to the dish from Brenhin. It appeared to have broth of some sort in it, but she felt hungry enough to not care. "That's just pathetic."

Loki snarled at her. "And who are you to evaluate this?" he demanded. "You're supposed to be an intelligent human and yet here you are the victim of your own senselessness."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" Darcy asked, a little more than hurt at these words.

"Jane Foster, a woman of science, captured by a being of magic? Intellect fails when senses should take precedence and therefore your senses are clearly inferior either as a human or as a female and I am inclined to put blame on your race and not your gender as I have seen other women far more capable, though with what is supposedly a lesser intellect," Loki replied. He thought about the strength in his mother and Sif, but only his mother had been noted for wisdom and that was likely due to being maternal which this girl was not. Would it horrify his mother to think of what he had planned? _She isn't your mother_, a sinister voice reminded him internally. This angered him more despite its internal nature and he placed both hands firmly on the table, staring angrily at the girl as she looked back displaying something similar to confusion accompanying what was obviously contempt. He wanted desperately to silence her for this impertinent display and then suddenly remembered the vial that Eldred had given him. He stood, pushing the dish away and turned to Brenhin, placing the vial harshly in the man's hand. "Make sure that goes in her chalice," he ordered softly. Darcy turned and watched him, still more confused than irate. He glared back, convinced that she was deliberately being contrary, which was only partially true. "You have only one more day to wait, Jane. My brother will return to Midgard and you will join him shortly thereafter. Then both of you will bow to me."

As he stormed away, readying to go back and decide how best to make himself known to his brother, Darcy watched him, shaking her head. "Keep saying it, Doctor Evil, maybe someone will believe you," she muttered. Brenhin shook his head and slipped the vial in his belt. Loki might have been able to give orders in person, but Brenhin had never felt obligated to follow even Eldred's orders when he didn't like them and no one was watching. "Is he for real?" she suddenly asked, looking up at Brenhin. He turned, looking back in equal confusion. "I mean, does he really think he's going to take over the world after he takes me back?" This was unsettling not just because there was a villain threatening to overthrow every world government and seize rulership, but because this meant he was bent on violence after returning her which is when it would definitely be revealed that she had lied to him. She folded her arms. "Do you think he can do it? I mean, is he really that evil?"

"Oh, Loki isn't evil. Misguided, uncontrollable, and petulant perhaps, but not evil. Selfish, definitely, and temperamental, but not evil," Brenhin said firmly almost trying to convince Loki from a distance with his words. "I believe he will do whatever it takes to feel powerful after being dethroned and being unable to completely dominate a human captive."

Darcy frowned and thought about this. She had to do something before this started getting further out of control. If he really wanted control and he had the power, it was very possible for him to 'rule the world'. The rest of earth wouldn't be expecting anything like him and would probably be powerless to stop him if he had underlings to help. She thought about this for another moment. "Does he have like an army or something? He can't take over the world without an army, right?" she asked, truly expecting the right answer from a creature that had never seen her world.

Brenhin shook his head and turned to walk away. "Loki is nothing if not a creature of schemes and that is what is most unnerving about him," he replied. As for an army, I am sure that's something he's already planned."


	16. Obsequious Waiting Game

_(((I plan for the next chapter after this one to take us right up to where 'The Avengers' will take place and then take up again after that particular story has completed and have Loki come back to Sylvanheim licking his wounds and needing to plan something else. I realize that there is a lot of just banter and fluff in this chapter, but I think you can't get a sense of who Darcy is in the situation and who Loki is becoming without it. Also, a cookie to anyone who can guess ahead of time why Brenhin is convinced that Loki is not evil . . . other than the fact that it's true.))))_

Chapter 16: Obsequious Waiting Game

Jane walked back into her laboratory and looked at the pages of printed data with disgust. She grabbed a stack of documents and sat down, flipping through the pages furiously. She fought away tears thinking about what the future held and how alone she suddenly felt. She hadn't expected the encounter with Thor, or with anyone for that matter, to have changed things so dramatically. She leaned forward on the desk, grasping her head tightly as she heard hushed voices outside the door. There were always a number of agents making sure that the facility and lab were safe at any given moment, but she was unable to ask any of them for assistance. Over the past few days she had come to realize that Darcy had been more than a gopher; she had given some kind of input that made the days easier to handle and had even kept all three of them on a better schedule than the one Erik was keeping now. She sobbed a little at realizing just how much she missed her assistant and that her assistant was, in fact, a friend. A loud beeping interrupted the sadness and Jane instinctively snapped back to sitting upright and examining the screens across the way. A large disturbance was forming in the atmosphere. Its shape was familiar and the potency was equally as comforting. She grinned and raced over to a chair, grabbing a jacket and ready to argue with any of the security personnel that would keep her from going outside. Thor was finally coming back.

(*)

Settled back in the library after such a full morning, Darcy lost herself in a few paragraphs at a time, periodically craving the ability to respond to each. It had been novel at first, looking at books and nothing else, but being without any electronics was beginning to weigh heavily on her. Darcy wondered if it would be worth it to develop some sort of system to help people who were deprived of their devices cope just like an anti-smoking system. She frowned and leaned forward, groaning as she read as if it were painful. Brenhin watched from the doorway, feeling particularly anxious about leaving her alone after the incident earlier. She closed the book and set it to the side, picking up another. This continued for a few minutes until Brenhin felt a familiar presence behind him. He turned and nodded to Loki as he passed. The trickster watched Darcy glancing through the eighth book she had collected and then turned back to Brenhin, angrily.

"Give it to me, Brenhin," he ordered, holding one hand out toward him. "Now."

"It is entirely unnecessary, look how content she is to just stay in the library," Brenhin argued, gesturing toward her.

"You forget, servant, that the library has windows and unless she is rendered unable to move she is liable to make her way to one and then make her way out of one," Loki replied, still waiting for the vial from Brenhin. Brenhin frowned and then turned, noticing that Darcy had made her way over to them, still holding one of the books. Loki turned to see what had caught the man's attention and frowned as well.

"I'm sorry, and I never do this, but what is this word?" she asked. She held up the book toward Brenhin, pointing to one of the sentences. "Obb-sec-cue . . ."

"Obsequious," Loki interjected with a tone of clear agitation.

"Oh," Darcy said, pulling the book back and looking at the word more closely. "And it means . . ."

"It means one who is given to false flattery or kowtowing or apple polishing; how can you not know what a simple word like that means as a woman of knowledge?" he said annoyedly. She pushed her glasses back and raised one brow at him partially in confusion and partially enjoying the sight of him this angered. He needed her too whole to do much harm, or so she hoped, but he was also growing either more impatient than ever or anxious about facing his brother. "Don't you study language along with your sciences?"

"Yeah, I mean, I just don't know every word in the English language and usually if I come across something I don't understand I just Google it," she explained glancing at Brenhin with a shrug. "But since you brought me to the world time forgot I don't have a way to Google, so now you have to be my Google."

"That isn't a real word; haven't you ever used a dictionary?" he retorted.

"Yeah, but you don't have any in here. Besides, Google is quicker it's the world's largest search engine," she remarked. The two continued to gaze back at her confusedly. Darcy sighed and pushed her hair behind her shoulder. "It's a way to get information on a computer, to look something up quickly." She waited for a moment, but there seemed to be no change in either. "Uh, computers. Magic boxes that give everyone all kinds of information and lets anyone put information in."

"How can you trust something if it can be altered by anyone?" Brenhin asked.

"Well, there are a lot of people that check it to make sure it's accurate," Darcy explained. Loki looked down at the vial for a moment, feeling the anger subsiding momentarily. These fits of overwhelming anger seemed to have been plaguing him since shortly before the coronation and, while it did make him feel more powerful than usual, they were starting to irritate him. It made thinking every detail through quite difficult. Darcy set the book down and leaned against the wall, reminding herself that this would be over in a few short hours. "Besides, it's the quickest way to keep up with friends. I can't wait to be back on my profile. I've got like 100 friends and I haven't spoken to them since your brother landed on earth."

"How in any of the realms could anyone keep up with that many friends?" Brenhin gasped. "I would be exhausted after ten!"

"Well, I mean, you don't have to see all of them and talk in person, that's what's so great about it. I've only met about four of them," Darcy explained. Loki let out a scornful laugh and folded his arms. Darcy turned and frowned a little at him as he shook his head. "What?"

"Those are not friends," he replied. "Those are, at best, acquaintances and you have far too many for someone dedicated to study."

"Not someone that studies poli- . . ." she began. She cleared her throat, aware that she had to keep up this charade for at least another day. "Poly-particle physics. What do you know about friendship anyway? You turned on your brother and your friends, remember?"

"A king does not need friends, he has subjects," Loki corrected.

"Oh, right," she added with a grin. "I forgot, you're going to reign over all the earth as some kind of all-powerful, all-knowing, magical knight in shining armor." He began to glare at her and Darcy suddenly felt the strangest urge. As fun as it had been to catch him off guard before, she was now completely compelled to do it again. After all, he had caught her off guard and one good catch deserved another. She smiled and gazed off into the distance. "It's about time, too. We've been at war and consumed with misery for centuries. What earth needs more than anything is a pioneering sorcerer who can stabilize things." His gaze softened for a moment as she bit her lip, noting the change in his expression. She breathed deeply, keeping the most earnest expression that she could. He seemed to be buying the act so far. _Gotcha_, she thought to herself. "It'll be nice to not have to vote for anyone and have all that competition. Just one benevolent, wise, and wondrous ruler."

"Precisely; mankind will be unified by their reverence," he said, a little thrilled at the thought of this idea taking root in another. "There will be no conflict with the concord worship of a king gives to your race."

"And I really can't think of anyone better qualified," she added. Loki stared at her in disbelief, but obviously wanting to believe her as it was what he had convinced himself thoroughly of. She grinned brightly unable to contain her excitement. Now he seemed confused and, all at once, Darcy decided to end the fun and felt thoroughly satisfied. "See, now I know what obsequious is."

Loki's expression fell instantly and a shade of pink crossed his features. He hated the idea of mockery after having been subjected to it since his childhood. Even more unpleasant was the thought of mockery from a woman and most unpleasant was the fact that the woman was a mortal. He growled softly, ignoring the reason he had come to the library and turning angrily to Brenhin. "Watch her and should anything foul befall her, I will hold you personally accountable," he warned. Brenhin nodded silently and watched his younger master storm away.

"See you later, Google," she said just loudly enough for him to hear as he disappeared. Brenhin frowned and shook his head, taking the book away from her and making sure that the vial was still in his belt. "Hey! I wasn't done reading that."

"You shouldn't taunt him," Brenhin said unhappily. "It doesn't always end well."

"He started it when he kidnapped me," she replied with a shrug. "And I've only got one more day to be here anyway."

"Yes and you do realize that once on earth he could do any number of things to hurt his brother . . . at your expense," Brenhin said pointing a finger at her solemnly. "He is still intent on some sort of cruelty toward Thor, and I'm afraid that you will be at the receiving end in a physical way."

Darcy frowned and felt her stomach sink. She hadn't thought about that and now she wished she had. She looked at Brenhin in concern as he moved past her to shelve the book. "You don't think he's going to do anything evil like kill me, do you?" she asked with a frightened gulp.

"I've told you before, Loki is not evil," he said, sighing heavily. "Even he knows better than to murder someone outright."

"I hope you're right," she muttered, suddenly feeling suddenly apprehensive.

"Just try and be . . ." Brenhin said as he found the place where Darcy had plucked the book from and set it back gently. He noticed a book beside it and grinned, lifting it effortlessly off the shelf and admiring the cover. This would keep the girl occupied. He turned and approached her with the new book, smiling kindly. " . . . less _obsequious_." Darcy smiled back and accepted the tome. At least Brenhin seemed to be sane and decent. She would simply have to suppress any further playful urges.


	17. Loki's Army

Chapter 17: Loki's Army

As Jane tried to force her way through security and out to the New York the rest of the world knew, Thor was standing ready for the journey to earth. While the young son of Odin readied to leave, the younger son paced back and forth in his own quarters on Sylvanheim, pondering many things. And while Loki was distracted with deep consideration, Eldred felt the atmosphere stirring with a presence that he and the trickster had long awaited. The legendary Cloud of Infinite Destiny carried travelers who primarily stayed journeying beyond the nine realms as well as many of the enchanted and powerful items that were within their grasp or at their disposal. Loki had translated one passage for Eldred describing the race of creatures known simply as 'The Chitauri' and had assumed that they were shape-shifters from the brief descriptions given in ancient texts. Shortly after this he had taken to mastering both transmogrification and traveling through hidden portals outside the Bifrost. The two had expected it to appear for them years ago, but the tesseract's activities on earth had interrupted it for quite some time. Eldred breathed deeply and continued to stare, for the third week in a row, into his cauldron. He had found that so many things were changing as of late that the only way to keep an accurate record of them and plan accordingly was to be constantly watching the enchanted cauldron and the images within while having Loki carry out whatever he needed. The youth's defiance in the past few months were proving more and more difficult in the old sorcerer's quest to attain the last of the runes of power. Nauthiz would give him what he needed to manipulate the forces in all nine realms and become more powerful than Odin himself. Eldred had managed to keep this secret from Loki thus far, but he feared that as Loki grew more defiant and powerful, practicing more and more of the magic he had been taught that his apprentice would overtake him and inherit more than the power of the rune itself.

Eldred contemplated the situation a moment longer and noticed that the images on the surface of the cauldron were also reflective of the cloud disturbing the atmosphere overhead. He sighed and leaned over the fixture, trying to think of how he could make sure that the whelp's spirit would be broken and that he would still assist in retrieving the powerful item. He scratched his head and wondered if it would be worthwhile to kill the mortal before morning which would make him terrified of facing his brother again. No; Loki would be fearful, but not broken if he had need to avoid his brother and the rest of his family. He needed to be struck down, rejected, and otherwise completely humiliated. Another image flashed across the cauldron's surface. Eldred waited for it to return and studied it carefully. A broad grin made its way across his lips and he tapped the rim of the cauldron excitedly. The disturbance would act as one of at least three catalysts in Loki being thoroughly slain . . . at least, metaphorically slain. He turned and waved a hand toward one of five large mirrors that sat on the western wall. The largest shuddered and the glass rippled as it received the magic from him and began to display the images he had seen in the cauldron. Eldred called for his apprentice and waited patiently.

Eldred heard the doors open precisely one minute after calling for his apprentice. Loki must have already been anxious to have moved so quickly. No doubt the girl was aggravating him more and more with each passing hour; this was only right in lieu of all the warnings Eldred had given him regarding both taking a captive and in any dealings with mortals. Of all the Asgardians and other creatures of the immortal realms that had spent time on Midgard, Loki had been the only one to be labeled a trouble-maker and not worshipped with utmost adoration. Eldred knew this would also be haunting him and a solid deciding factor in how he would strike before being struck down. The younger entered the chamber and stood a few feet away from his master, waiting for word. Hearing the call as well, Brenhin had headed quickly after Loki, though unseen and with Darcy close behind him. She was uneasy about being left alone in the fortress and Brenhin seemed safe enough to stay with for now. The servant waited quietly just beside the door, listening and watching.

"You called, Master Eldred," Loki said with a tone of resentment. Eldred ignored this and pointed toward the mirror.

"It seems your brother will arrive in Midgard before you even with the Bifrost destroyed," Eldred remarked. Loki stared at the glass as the image of the rim of Asgard came into view. Thor walked hurriedly toward the outermost edge followed closely by Sif and the Warriors Three. The rightful son of Odin had a small glowing crystal that Loki recognized as belonging to one of the fates of Nornheim; it was used to reach the other realms in times of great need without being at the mercy of the Bifrost. He frowned. Eldred smirked. "I believe he will have trouble getting there alone."

"If it is what he wants Odin will make sure it is done," Loki replied as he gazed into the mirror. The confusion he had first felt in seeing the images faded; it didn't matter any longer why Eldred had wanted him to see this. The sight of his brother and former friends consumed him laced with hostile consideration. He stepped closer to the mirror as Thor left the warriors behind and walked even further, grasping the crystal and readying to depart alone. Loki felt a small twinge of guilt and an even smaller twinge of longing at the sight of his home and familiar faces.

Sif frowned and hurried after Thor, stopping him just before the gate leading out of Asgard. He turned and looked at her, confused at her strange behavior. It was no secret that Sif had wanted more than a friendship with him, but he had never taken this seriously before and had no intention of feeding it now that he had Jane. Sif grasped his forearm and looked deeply into his eyes. "Thor," she said, her eyes darting back and forth wildly. "None of us want you to do this alone and I-I need to tell you . . ."

Loki leaned more closely to the surface of the mirror and breathed heavily, watching the warrioress carefully. Sif was the only woman he had ever loved and the deterioration of what charade that had been their romance was nothing short of devastating for the trickster. Even now he felt his heart racing and his skin growing cold at the thought of her love being given to another or just the thought of being rejected. He stared more deeply into the mirror and grasped it tightly on either side. Eldred grinned at this, enjoying the display of anger on his apprentice's face as well as the violence stirring within him. This was the only way to incite the little brute to action that would be his downfall and Eldred was beginning to worry about the boy's clumsiness slowly fading as he became more powerful daily. Eldred could feel the Cloud of Infinite Destiny growing closer. The gems within, coupled with the Chitauri and the other travelers trapped within, were surging with energy that didn't even seem to bother Loki for the time being. He had obviously taken note, but he wasn't as intent on utilizing it as he once had been. All of that was about to change and this thought was more than satisfying for the sorcerer, but troubling to Brenhin as he watched from the doorway. He frowned as the youth's eyes grew wider.

"I never loved Loki, I have always loved you," she admitted, looking down. Thor frowned at her and lifted one brow, not sure of why she felt it necessary to tell him this especially when he knew it couldn't be true. His lack of emotion prompted her to take a step back and release his arm. "Must you do this alone?"

"Yes, you're needed here," Thor replied flatly. "Without you and the warriors three, Asgard is far too vulnerable."

"I highly doubt that an attack will be imminent given the notion that Loki is turning his interests back to that most forbidden of desires," Fandral remarked, joining the two and closely followed by his companions. Loki's fingers grew pale gripping the edge of the mirror. "One can only assume that after having had a sample of the only warrior maiden . . . or rather, matron, that he would be consumed with finding another source of that most incredible joining of souls."

"That is entirely untrue!" Sif said loudly and angrily to her friend. Fandral grinned at her suggestively, prompting more hostility in the lost prince's green eyes. Pain tore through his chest at remembering the separate occasions after the night together in Nornheim. He clutched the edges of the mirror and found himself hating not only his brother, but the warriors three as well. She was obviously lying to keep all of them satisfied. Sif shook her head. "It was not incredible, it was not forbidden, and we did not join souls."

"No, indeed it would be difficult to think of Loki having a soul," he added with a laugh. Since the confession, Fandral had expressed and experienced unusual anger and jeering toward Loki, replacing the admiration and amusement that he had once had for the trickster. Thor glared at his friend, causing his laughter to fade into an expression almost as somber as Hogun's. He cleared his throat. "Good journey, Thor."

"Take care of this realm until I return," he said firmly. The four nodded in agreement. "I will be returning with my brother and Asgard will be set to right once more. I suggest that any more of this nonsense that you two have between you that you rid yourselves of it and any other mockery before I return and do not allow it spread around the kingdom."

"I should never have told any of you," Sif muttered.

"You should never have allowed him to touch you," Fandral added more loudly. "Even in love, no one in their right mind would benefit from that."

"I am not in love with that wicked Loki and I never will be!" Sif shot back as she turned to head for the palace once more.

"_**Liar**_! _**Fraud**_! You loved me, you _swore_ you loved me!" Loki screamed into the mirror at Sif. "You dreadful, deceitful drauguuuuuuuur!"

He shouted furiously and pulled the mirror from the wall, hurling it to the floor beside him. It shattered as he continued to rant. Eldred watched the youth storm out of the room and head back into the primary room of the fortress. Brenhin watched as well, glancing in at Eldred with a deliberately undetectable disdain for the old sorcerer. He could hear the younger still shouting as he walked, sometimes discernable and sometimes simply in rage. He had never seen Loki this angry before and feared that this would lead to something irreversible. He turned to Darcy looking more somber and anxious than ever before. Darcy felt a chill move through her at the man's gaze. He sighed heavily and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Go quickly back to your quarters and wait for word from me," he said softly. Darcy frowned and glanced from side to side. "I am not sure what Eldred wants from Loki at the moment, but I have never seen him so angered and that sight would make him most likely to strike out . . . at you."

She nodded slowly and watched Brenhin hurry after his younger master. She thought for a moment about the man's words and then remembered the sight of the trickster's green eyes flooded by tears. There had been rage in them, no doubt, but she had also seen something else; a broken heart. Something in her ached for him and swelled with pity as she started off toward the stairs. She bit her lip again and considered what harm he could do if she followed after Brenhin and tried to see if he was alright. It occurred to her that, no matter how angry he was at the moment, he was still indescribably intelligent and knew that he needed her alive. She could deal with physical pain, but the idea of allowing someone else to cry without offering comfort was something she could not forgive herself of. She quietly made her way to the doorway leading into the primary room and watched as Brenhin tried to carefully approach the trickster as he paced back and forth like a beleaguered lion in too small a cage. Darcy couldn't be sure from this distance, but it seemed like his eyes had turned bright red. She squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. That was impossible. He was some kind of immortal, but he couldn't have red eyes; that was something vampires had.

"Loki, calm yourself," Brenhin said firmly, but as gently as he could manage as well. He reached out both hands toward the troubled youth. "You are a prince and meant for a better wife and lover than Sif."

"She loves him . . . she _loves __**him**_! Of course she does, _**I**_ wanted her, I _**had**_ her and nothing that is mine can remain so as long as Thor lives!" Loki ranted angrily. With the last few words he turned and spun furiously, throwing the candlesticks and remaining dishes on the long table to the floor. He stood breathing heavily as the clattering of each object slowly faded. Brenhin kept a safe distance and continued watching him with traces of pity. Loki noted the man's expression just as he lost the battle with one of the hundreds of tears wanting to escape. Brenhin took a step forward hurriedly at the sight of the tear, but halted when Loki's gaze shifted to rage and he summoned the casket. Darcy gasped and raced forward, skidding to a halt in front of Brenhin. She knew that she could survive the casket's powers, but she couldn't be sure that poor Brenhin could survive it. Loki snarled at her display and turned toward one of the hallways, hurling a surge of ice in its direction. Brenhin furiously took hold of Darcy's arm and forced her behind him as Loki finally caught his breath. "I will never be rid of my own weaknesses as long as he stands living and always flaunting them before everyone I love."

"He can't really be flaunting it all the time in front of everyone, that's a logical fallacy by default," Darcy argued. She somehow thought that this argument would truly comfort him by way of a clearer perspective, but it reached him in a tone that he interpreted as confrontational. He turned and glared harshly at her. She froze and felt her stomach drop. His eyes were red and he seemed to be glowing a faint bluish colour. She swallowed hard, wondering if she was dreaming yet again or if she had received a head injury when falling earlier and just hadn't awakened from it. She took a step back, allowing Brenhin to be directly in front of her as Loki advanced. "I mean, there have to be some people that recognize your gifts. There was a whole section about it in the library book Mr. Selvig showed me. If someone writes about you, you have to be important to them."

"You cannot possibly understand the magnitude of Asgard's duplicity," he hissed. Darcy swallowed hard again feeling every muscle in her body go tense and her mouth suddenly go dry. "There are no words to describe how unappreciated and unloved I have been from birth even with all that I have done to protect my family, my friends, my _realm_!" With the last word, Loki seized Brenhin by the shoulders and tried to shove him aside. To the trickster's surprise, Brenhin stood perfectly still and strong, taking hold of the younger's arms and trying to speak calmly to him. "Stand aside, Brenhin."

"You are not yourself, Loki," Brenhin said softly and sternly. He heard the youth starting to growl and tightened his grip. "Please calm yourself and think; you have only a few more hours to wait until you will return Jane. Then you can confront your brother fully and do what you will to make him regret Sif's affection."

The sorcerer's eyes flashed green once more and his skin grew pale with shock and rage at the servant's words. "Do not instruct me, peasant!" he shouted, finally summoning enough strength with Brenhin's guard down to shove him to the side and then to the floor. Darcy's heart raced as he drew even closer to her and she found that she was far too frightened to bolt. She trembled a little; finding even the strength it took to breathe was too much. Loki took hold of her shoulders and looked down furiously into her eyes. They darted back and forth in terror as they remained silent, staring at one another stunned and utterly perturbed. "I don't believe it will be necessary to return you to my brother after all," he said in a harsh whisper. Darcy found the wherewithal to gasp at this. He grinned. "He has the affection of Asgard's most beautiful warrior and no doubt they will receive my father's blessing in an instant."

"But I, you, I have to go back. You have to take me back," she stammered as he continued to stare deeply into her eyes. Darcy's pulse no longer inhibited her and she found her limbs suddenly electrically charged with energy that couldn't be easily controlled. The trembling intensified which seemed to please him and broadened his grin. She shook her head and frowned at him. "You said you would take me back, you can't just keep me here!"

"Why not?" he said with a suggestive smile. "There is nothing for you on earth or in Asgard now that your precious Thor has the love of the proud Lady Sif. Why it's positively immoral for him to expend a mortal while keeping an Asgardian lover. Do you think my father would accept you as easily as he will accept her?" Loki reached down and gently smoothed a lock of hair away from Darcy's face. She breathed deeply and cringed a little at his touch. "No, a delicate creature like you is better off away from that heartache."

"Look, I . . . appreciate your noble intentions, really I do, but I can't stay here. I have a life to get back to, remember?" she said uneasily. "I need to get back to earth; it's where I belong, the only place I belong."

He chuckled and moved forward, backing her into the wall and placing one palm against the wall beside her shoulder and the other gently under her chin. She shuddered harder at feeling how cold his skin seemed at the moment and at thinking that he might go through with making this captivity permanent. She stifled a small scream and closed her eyes. He admired the terror he had instilled in her for a beat and then leaned down closer, speaking almost directly into her ear as she tried to keep from collapsing in a heap on the floor. He softly traced the shape of her jaw and thought about how marvelous it would be to take his brother's mortal companion as his own. Human women were notoriously more loyal and passionate than most of Asgard's maidens and lived so briefly that if an immortal lucky enough to secure their affections didn't act quickly, they would be dead before they could return to the realm and claim them. Jane might not have been in love with him at the moment, but he could easily change that with magic and a few other feats of wonder.

"Oh I wouldn't dream of denying you a return to your world," he said in a tone that might have sounded kind under different circumstances. She opened her eyes and stared back, oddly soothed at the sight of him so comparatively tranquil. This close he was actually quite attractive and, while Darcy knew it was insane to even allow this thought to cross her mind for a fleeting moment, she wondered just how bad it would be to allow him to keep her. It would mean keeping Jane and Dr. Selvig safe and it would also satiate a potential villain in the process. She shook herself and forced that thought away as he took a lock of hair in his other hand and admired it deeply, simultaneously thinking about Thor embracing Sif. "Of course I will return you to earth. I have never broken a promise to anyone and I don't intend to start such an appalling practice. I'm a sorcerer, not a hypocrite." Darcy relaxed a little at this and her mind began to whir with hundreds of ideas about how to escape and get everyone she cared about to safety when they returned. He leaned into her more closely and Darcy felt more confused than ever before. "I will bring you to my side once I have established my reign in Midgard. You don't need to be exposed to all of that violence and bloodshed, it mars a maiden's charm to be faced with the horrors of war."

"Wait, but you can't . . ." she stammered.

He quickly placed his fingers over her lips, silencing her without being too forceful. She felt her blood beginning to chill with every beat that passed. "Oh, but I can. I need only claim my army in a few short moments from the transverse portals and incredible beings that grow closer every second. I will be unstoppable and not even the mighty Thor will stand against the benevolence I have planned for your fellow frail and fickle humans," he said slowly, enjoying each syllable alongside the thought of taking something so precious from his brother. He could present her as his after he had finished conquering, that would be far simpler than trying to cart her along for the journey and mission. "And as for you, you will spend your paltry years at my side while my brother looks on. He can take any other for himself, but you will forever belong to that wicked Loki."

He pressed his lips firmly against hers once more, but Darcy could neither savor nor abhor the display. Her eyes widened and she felt her body grow numb as he gripped both her shoulders and breathed in deeply, practically intoxicated by the inundation of opportunity and the prospect of taking his brother's woman. Darcy could barely recall what had happened next and saw only glimpses of images and heard only faint traces of sounds for the next few moments. Brenhin had shouted something after pulling the trickster away from her. In a flash the younger son of Odin had disappeared from the fortress and Darcy could vaguely remember the sight of a strange cloud overhead as he hurtled himself up and into it. The last thing she remembered hearing was Brenhin shouting 'you will never be the same, you cannot return whole to this realm or any other' while the cloud surged and then swiftly faded into the distance. While Loki began the rapid and intricate task of collecting an army and sufficient weapons before hurrying to take the tesseract, Darcy slipped into unconsciousness. She was finally able to release the scream inwardly as darkness overtook her and part of her feared that the same darkness was about to engulf earth as well.


	18. Making Bread and Cry for Help

Chapter 18: Making Bread and Cry for Help

Darcy wasn't sure how long she remained unconscious. She could hear noises, but no familiar sounds or voices through the void and wondered if he had taken her with him or left her behind when vaulting toward the sky. Either way, he was certainly not going to be gentle from this point on and she would need to make sure she had the full protection of Thor before it was revealed that she wasn't Jane. After the display she had seen in front of the mirror, Darcy was sure that his patience had reached full capacity and that he was ready to snap, therefore snapping her clean in half, at any further disappointments. She wanted to cry loudly and simultaneously find the strength alongside skill to beat him senseless partially out of fear, but predominantly out of similar disappointment. A cold chill washed over her as if a spray of mist had suddenly hit her face. Darcy realized that consciousness was slowly returning and that she was trembling ever so slightly in her extremities at the chill of coming to. She tried to open her eyes and felt as though she was using the muscles in her face to lift open the latch on a heavy set of doors. She groaned and shifted as light finally drifted in and her eyes opened fully.

"There you are," Brenhin said. Darcy froze at the sound of a familiar, albeit somewhat disheartening, voice. He must have taken her back to her quarters because she now found herself lying on the bed with Brenhin seated dutifully beside it. The cold that had washed over her seemed to still be present on her forehead. She shifted uncomfortably and noticed that there was a bowl of water in his lap and traces of pink swirled throughout. Her stomach lurched at realizing she had been bleeding somewhere and he had used this to help wash the excess away. She reached up to her forehead and brushed over a large cut surrounded by an even larger bruise. It practically enveloped her whole forehead and arced downward covering her left eyebrow. She winced in pain as Brenhin reached forward and took the cloth he had been using on the wound away completely. "You had a nasty spill, but fortunately your knees buckled under before you fell entirely to the floor. I can only imagine what kind of injuries you'd have if you had simply landed face first."

"Is he gone?" she asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.

Brenhin sighed. "Loki has put into action a plan that he and Eldred had formed some few years ago. It was to prove to Odin that he was worthy of the throne by way of conquering Midgard and ruling it effectively for a few years. Unfortunately for them the cosmic cloud carrying what was needed for the plan to work did not show itself until just now. I suppose your kind might call that a twist of fate. Anyway, he's off to try and subjugate your world until it inevitably blows up in his face," Brenhin replied. He rose slowly, keeping hold of the bowl and moving the chair away from her bedside as he did so. ""I don't see this being very successful, but Loki has never been one to learn anything that significant any other way but the hard way. No doubt he'll be thrashed by any number of stalwart warriors your people provide if the Chitauri and their leader, Thanos, don't turn on him first."

"Is that his army?" Darcy asked, feeling a surge of fear move through her at the thought of an invasion even if she wouldn't be there to suffer.

"I suppose for the time being, yes," Brenhin replied, shaking his head sadly. "And he will likely flaunt your captivity in front of his brother if he assists in defending the realm. You won't be there to use as a pawn which means the bragging will have to be grand enough to suffice. For that you can be truly thankful; using you as a pawn would not be a pleasant experience for either of you, I would think. I've told him once if not a thousand times that without working in the company of heroes or creating small dilemmas for a lark, that he's more than somewhat inept."

"That's a terrible thing to say," Darcy said, offended on his behalf.

"Yes, but you have seen only a small testimony to how true it is," Brenhin corrected, gesturing for her to follow him as he headed for the door. "I expect he'll be back in no less than a fortnight, but he's never been gone for more than a decade or so."

"Ten years? I can't stay here for ten years!" Darcy exclaimed, leaping off the bed and staring at the man in terror. "I have to get back. You can help with that, right? I mean, he doesn't have to know and you can use the same magic that he can, can't you? I just can't stay here for one month let alone one year!"

Brenhin frowned. "I'm afraid that I haven't had as extensive an education as Loki and my innate magical prowess is far less than even Eldred," he explained sadly. "But you won't have long to wait, I promise."

"You said ten years! Ten years is _**so**_ a long time even for you people!" Darcy exclaimed. She breathed heavily and Brenhin recognized the signs of panic in its earliest stages. He took two steps toward her as she grasped her chest and fell back against the wall, sliding to the floor muttering and gripping her head. "I can't stay here . . . not for ten years . . . I have to get home."

The servant sighed and stood in front of her, reaching one hand down to her. "I said he's never been gone for more than a decade, I didn't say he would take a decade to be thwarted from this nefarious plan. It will be no less than a fortnight if he's lucky enough to not be flattened in a single day," Brenhin corrected. Darcy looked up at him in confusion and still feeling desperate after so many new developments. First it had been made clear to her that the trickster had no intention of returning her to her old life (even as Jane), then he announced leaving to conquer earth and humankind, and now she was being told that it might be a whole decade before she had even the hope of getting back. She looked down and allowed a few tears to stream down her cheeks. This had started as only somewhat frightening and thrilling compared to the months with Jane and Selvig, but now it truly felt like being captive. Brenhin could sense her well of emotions and held his hand out more closely to her. "Well complaining and carrying on isn't going to make time pass any faster. When I find myself consumed by sadness or fear, there's only one thing that makes it pass."

"You really can't get me back? I can give you anything you ask for . . . er, I can pay you back somehow. He won't know, no one will tell him you were the one that helped me," she offered.

"I'm afraid I really am unable to help you get back," he said firmly. Darcy let her head drop back into her hands and a few more tears flowed from her eyes. Brenhin reached down and firmly took her by the arm. "Come, I can help you forget any fears or sadness you might have."

"I really don't think you know what this is like," Darcy quipped back with a tone of anger.

"Perhaps not from your perspective, but I have been dealing with servitude to two angry sorcerers for years, one of which went through a painful and awkward adolescence in my service," he replied, helping her to stand. Darcy drew in a deep breath and cleaned both lenses of her glasses with the edge of her mauve sweater. "And there has been only one way to deal with that kind of oppression."

"Oh yeah? And how exactly did you deal with the high school version of Loki?" she asked as she slipped the glasses back over her ears and brought the rest of the room back into focus.

Brenhin smiled and released her arm, taking her hand instead. "I make bread."

(*)

While Darcy learned from Brenhin the finer points of bread-making, the history of Sylvanheim and its respective denizens seen and secretive, and a few of the charms that even a human with no innate magic could conjure, Loki was hard at work with his army throughout the whole realm of Midgard. From Europe to its American allies, Loki had set the whole planet into a chaos that no group of humans bent on war had ever been able to do. The Chitauri had proven more than useful in getting him to the realm and even with a few opposing heroes among their own kind, humanity was quickly falling into his grasp. The trickster watched not from a palace or even a stronghold in one of the human cities, but from Asgard. He had thought long and hard about the possibility of encountering his brother and had decided that it would be safer to watch from a distance. He had learned how to create mirror images of himself that would function just as effectively at a distance and he could see clearly through the eyes of any copies. While Thor would be distracted in trying to protect the humans, he could easily assure that he was poised and ready to prevent the warrior from returning home. He sat peacefully in a very old and not often used building that served as an auxiliary armory for weapons not enchanted. It was strange to be home and hiding with no intention of returning to the palace any time soon. He glanced at the window for a moment, seeing the image of the grand, gold citadel that had been his home for millennia. He wondered momentarily what his mother and father were doing with both of their sons occupied in opposing directions.

"Odin contemplates the notion of imprisoning you for Frigga's sake and Frigga contemplates sending a champion to fetch you for your own sake," a female voice announced from somewhere in the darkness. He turned quickly and scanned the room as the form of Drifa emerged from one of the shadowy corners. He frowned at her. She folded her hands neatly in front of her and appraised him. "Most conquerors prefer to be at the head of their armies. It shows fortitude and courage."

"Being in the line of fire is for those not intelligent enough to wait safely for danger to pass while more capable beings fight on their behalf," he retorted.

"An odd statement from one that has created said danger willfully," Drifa countered.

"Why are you here, oracle?" he asked annoyedly.

"There is much more to show you and the sooner the better," she replied. She looked him over once more and gave a look of slight disapproval. "Besides, you don't seem to be occupied at the moment."

"On the contrary; I am on the verge of claiming Midgard as my own after crushing six of their irritating heroes," he replied, turning away from the young visionary. "In the process I will have finally dealt properly with my idiot brother."

"Have you given any thought to how you will keep rulership over humans? They are a more changing species than disease," Drifa added. "You will no more than have dominion over one generation than the next will rise against you with weapons that will destroy you and themselves in the process."

"You underestimate their nature. They live to be dominated and will be grateful to anyone that can offer them peace and prosperity," he reasoned, closing his eyes and trying to concentrate his vision back into the functional illusion on earth. The version of himself sent to complete the task was yet again butting heads with one of the realm's heroes; an especially irritating human with greater than average intelligence and a sharp tongue called Tony Stark. Loki intended to purposefully keep this one alive and make him suffer for several years after claiming the realm as his own. "Be on your way, child. I'm sure someone else is more deserving of your company."

Drifa grinned and slid closer to him. "None that I would rather enlighten, my would-be apprentice," she said with unnerving satisfaction. He scoffed at this and pretended to ignore her very being. Drifa sighed and raised both hands in front of her clapping once very loudly. Loki couldn't help but turn to chastise her for the noise, but was silenced instantly when the subtle light filtering in suddenly ceased. The room was pitch black and even with all of his immense magic he couldn't even see to breathe. A twinge of fear moved through him painfully and he heard the girl's childish laughter close by. He snarled as she clapped again and now they stood in a large forest. It was greener and more pleasant than Sylvanheim with hardly any tree trunks not robed in moss or lichens with brilliant colours and soft, fresh scent. He could hear other voices in the distance and, recognizing the feel of this scenario, knew that he must have been in one of her visions of the past. He frowned. "I doubt you'll have full understanding after this, but it might help you finalize whatever draws you toward Midgard."

"It is my _**kingdom**_ now," he replied sternly. Drifa raised one brow inquisitively at this. He waved a hand dismissively. "The mortals will accept my kingship and generous conduct before the next night falls in their world."

"Father, there is no time. You must go and speak to Odin yourself if we are to have any hope of salvation," a woman not far away said anxiously. Loki recognized the voice, though the last time he had heard it the woman had been shuddering as she froze to death. He felt a cold sickening feeling surrounding him and instinct forced him to follow the sound without waiting for Drifa's instruction. Hiding behind a tree, he watched an older man, or rather elf, standing in a clearing grasping the hand of Marya, his mother. This must have been his grandfather if she called him father. The elf was considerably old, older than the All-Father himself by the looks of his face and eyes. A crown of silver encircled his white hair and his eyes glowed the same green as his mother, the same green as his own. He watched the two silently, the same ache from before forming in his chest. "If you speak to him in person I am sure he will hear you and act quickly. He has already driven them from Midgard and spared the elves and mortals from a harsh fate."

"Their king did not defy his will to rule and refuse to bow to him as supreme above the rest of the realms," the old elf king replied. Loki's eyes widened. If his grandfather was a king, then his mother was a princess and this meant that he was not only the offspring of a king by Jotun blood, but by his mother's blood as well. The aged being shook his head sadly. "I fear we will have to retreat into Sylvanheim if they continue to advance."

"Laufey has spoken to the Norn Queen. She told him not only of the one to take his throne, but that his son would one day rule Asgard and the nine realms," Marya continued. Her eyes became more tinted with sadness. "She told him that his son would be born of a she-elf, one of our kind, father and that is why he continues to hunt us. He will not stop until he has mated with and conceived with one of ours."

"I know the rumors, Marya," the older said sadly. "But we cannot expect any help from Odin. If he refused my messengers and other words of distress, then he will not hear us in person. We are barred from entering the gates of Asgard as it is. I will not risk leaving my people helpless when we have the power to flee."

"Laufey will follow us and destroy Alfsheim in the process, father," Marya argued. Her father shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I will go, if you want me to speak on your behalf."

"Out of the question; Asgard is no place for our kind especially unaccompanied," the king warned. Marya's expression fell and Loki recognized despair in his mother's eyes. He felt his chest tighten, breathing becoming increasingly difficult as she turned away from the old elf and walked sadly through the rest of the forest, passing both Drifa and Loki in the process. He wanted to reach out and take hold of her. Even if she was an image in Drifa's magic, it would mean the world to finally embrace and speak to his mother. Something odd and selfish within him said that doing so would make the world right again. The strength in his arms and legs disappear and no matter how he fought through the weakness, he couldn't move toward her one inch. Drifa watched Loki's expression match his mother's in desperation as she grasped a hanging branch for a moment pensively as her father spoke one last time. "We must have faith that there is a way to escape the machinations of the Jotuns and their king, Marya. No matter what happens, we must believe in our own victory."

Marya nodded sadly and disappeared into the trees as the old king hung his head and turned to walk in the opposite direction. Drifa moved to stand beside Loki and looked up at him expectantly. A single tear formed in one eye and he furiously pushed it aside. "Why didn't he help them? What mischief could the elves possibly have done to deserve the slaughter brought to them by the Jotuns and the innocence Laufey stole?" he asked softly. He glanced down at Drifa who frowned and gazed back silently. "Why would Odin help mortals and not Alfsheim when they needed him?"

Drifa waved one hand and Loki found that the scenery changed around them in a flash and they were now standing in the throne room. Odin stood in front of his throne, an Asgardian messenger kneeling in front of him and Frigga standing not far away with a very young version of Thor clutched gently in her arms. Odin looked much younger and still had both eyes now fixed angrily on the messenger. Loki furrowed his brow, not registering at the moment that the last time he had been in this chamber he had done so as its king. Drifa was impressed and relieved that the youth's thoughts didn't make their way to coveting power or seething with resentment at least for the time being. He took a few steps toward the stairs leading up to the throne his eyes darting back and forth between the image of his father with the messenger and his mother holding his fraternal enemy.

"I have heard all I need from that double-crossing coward," Odin said furiously. The messenger winced at those words, obviously delivering something that had made the All Father outraged. "If Tapio, King of the Elves and Lord of the Forest, wants my aide then he had best come himself and apologize for his insolence in times past."

"He is not the only one desiring your help, your majesty," the servant replied as cautiously as possible. Odin took another step toward the man and waited. "His daughter, Marya, fears for her people and her own life as well. It has been foretold that one of her people will bear a son for Laufey and that he will someday rule Asgard. That is why he . . . "

"Enough!" Odin exclaimed, slamming the hilt of Gungnir into the throne room floor. The loud boom resounded throughout the gold chamber for several seconds as the messenger lowered his head fearfully and Frigga pulled Thor's head closer to her chest. Loki stared at the younger version of the man that had raised him in shock; the All Father could have stopped this before it began. Drifa could hear the youth's thoughts and suppressed the urge to hit him and remind him that without the incident, he would never have been conceived much less born. There would be no reasoning with him at the moment. Odin took one more step, standing directly in front of the messenger, breathing heavily. "I have heard of these recent prophecies from the oracle. The day I allow a Jotun near the throne is the day I burst into flames and crumble into nothing! If Laufey succeeds then we will have ample opportunity to end his bloodline. An infant will pose no threat and a dead heir poses even less of one."

"But your majesty, the elves are readying to flee even to Sylvanheim to escape," the messenger continued.

"Let them," Odin said harshly gesturing to the messenger that there was no point in saying anything further.

The man nodded sadly and saluted his king before hurrying away. Loki's anger seemed to now match that of his adopted father. Why hadn't he protected these people from the Frost Giants? Hadn't he said repeatedly as he raised the two princes that even those that scorned the king were not deserving of any evil befalling them; that personal vendetta was no reason to let evil befall innocent creatures? This was unforgivable! There was once again no strength in his arms or legs to move forward, but Drifa knew that even with the ability Loki would still find it difficult in this state of pure fury to attack Odin. In that regard Loki was unquestionably wise. He turned away, unable to hear the softer words now being exchanged between king and queen. Drifa knew the past and knew that the queen had chastised her husband for this display and threatened to live in celibacy if he raised any weapon to, or sent anyone else to raise a weapon against an infant even if it did belong to Laufey. Drifa also knew that after three days of cold aloofness from Frigga that Odin had sent soldiers to Alfsheim, but to no avail. The deed had already been done and most of the elves had fled to Sylvanheim by the time he arrived. They had managed to bring the All Father word that Marya had discovered their source of power and bid him come and retrieve it while she and her son were taken back to Jotunheim. Loki heard none of it and was more consumed with anger now than seeing Marya's life fade from her. Drifa knew that hostility would follow, but it needed to be spent before he could acquire the necessary understanding of who he was, what he could accomplish, and where he truly belonged. She noted that the trickster stood furiously, fighting the lack of strength and earnestly desiring the opportunity for confrontation.

A thought crossed her mind and she grinned brightly. Without a little conflict, there would be no moving past the secrets that had transpired and transformed the innocent foundling into the seething sorcerer. She waved her hand once more, willing the two of them to reappear into their present time and space. The anger in Loki momentarily shifted to terror and amazement as he not only felt strength return to his limbs, but he also realized that he was no longer standing in the throne room before an image of Odin, but that he was now truly standing in the throne room before Odin himself. Frigga stood not far behind him, covering her mouth with a gasp as her younger son appeared in front of the two of them. Drifa grinned and slipped away into the shadows once more. It would be a pity to not see this unfold the minute it happened, but she also wanted no distractions for anyone involved. In a matter of moments, a storm would begin to fly around the throne room with devastating consequences for the royal family. But after the harsh words, probable exile, and somewhat less probable violence had ceased, the All Father and trickster would be ready to become allies once again.


	19. Immortal Dejection

Chapter 19: Immortal Dejection

Loki, Odin, and Frigga all stared at one another in stunned silence for several moments. It was the All Father who broke the silence, hiding the enormous relief that he felt in not only seeing Loki unharmed, but in the knowledge that Thor was still alive and earth was still in one piece. His senses told him that the younger of his sons was still unleashing some manner of tomfoolery in the mortal realm, but for the time being his heir was alive and well and now the opportunity was present to lay down the law while setting the younger back on the right path. He hid any expression of joy and sternly glared at the youth instead. "Well it's about time. Have you any idea what ensued after your display on the Bifrost? I should have you horse-whipped for that impudence and everything that followed," Odin said angrily, hiding any and all signs of the real feelings surging within him at the sight of the boy. Loki still looked very young and terribly confused to the old immortal and rightfully so. The confusion faded quickly into anger similar to the All Father's. Odin scoffed at this; he could not afford to show weakness now. "Go to your quarters until I send for you. You will apologize to your family and the kingdom for this nonsense and then you will help reconstruct what you nearly destroyed entirely."

"No," Loki said, it was almost a whisper, but it smoldered with a hostility and new found defiance that made Odin shiver and Frigga sob inwardly. Loki glanced at his adoptive mother and frowned, then turned back to his father.

"What did you say?" Odin demanded, taking a step toward the boy, gripping Gungnir tightly.

"No," Loki repeated more loudly and firmly. Odin shifted and frowned. This was not at all the frightened little boy that had vanished from the realm into the cosmos. The trickster narrowed his eyes at his foster father and took one defiant step forward. "I owe you nothing, you murderer."

"How dare you," Odin rasped. Loki winced inwardly at those words. Odin could not have inflicted as much pain if he had slapped him harshly across the face, but it was unavoidable for the time being.

"I saw what happened that day in Jotunheim, how you left the she-elf to die as you walked away with your _**victim**_. I know that they begged for your aide and you denied it to them. You are no more a conquering hero than Laufey," he said, finding his voice growing bolder and louder with each syllable. Frigga felt a painful stab in her chest. She had never been able to ask Odin fully what had happened that day and how exactly Loki had come into their home. It hadn't mattered to her before and it had never really occurred to her that it might matter to Loki in the end. She watched him clench both hands into fists and then release them, trying to contain the rage still welling inside him. He took yet another step toward Odin who stood perfectly still, stunned by the boy's words and angered as well. "It would have been more merciful for you to have killed her outright; you certainly wouldn't have been any less a murderer for it."

"You know not of what you speak, child," Odin retorted quickly. Loki growled at this, hating this criminal referring to him so condescendingly. "Marya was as good as dead, she couldn't have survived the journey back to Asgard because she did not want to live."

"How could you have known that?" Loki exclaimed, sounding as desperate and saddened as the day his origin had been revealed to him. He breathed heavily and felt tears force their way to the surface. He ignored them and the pained expression on his mother's face that followed. "You wouldn't have even known my name if she had not taken her last breaths to shout it to you."

"Did it never occur to you that I could sense her grief? She was overcome and could not bear to live any longer. She had been ravaged by Laufey and her son would be at his mercy unless someone else intervened," Odin explained, trying to match his son's volume without drawing the guards and the rest of the court to attention. "She is at peace because I took you."

"She died because you abandoned her people and took me for a constant source of ridicule!" Loki shouted in return. Odin felt a stab in his own heart. Thor had been right; Loki had felt odd and disgraced throughout his childhood. Even protected from the truth he could not be protected from the weaknesses that were jeered at by the other Asgardians around him. He felt several twinges of guilt and remorse for the youth's plight, but knew that even dejected there was no excuse for seeking to kill or torment another creature. He thought about how best to handle this and still keep his family and the kingdom safe. "You killed my mother."

"And you killed your father," Odin shouted in reply. This stunned Loki momentarily. He hadn't actually thought about it in those precise words. Subconsciously he had decided that if Laufey was no longer an issue, then he couldn't possibly be his son and killing him would therefore strengthen the love Odin had for him. But as is often the case with rationalizations made in a rash and suffering mind, the plot had collapsed and Loki was still guilty of his own father's blood. At these new revelations, though, he could still comfort himself in thinking that he had destroyed the being that had raped his mother. Laufey was still a monster and now Odin was just as terrible in being guilty of Marya's death. Odin gripped Gungnir and glared down at the youth hoping his words had struck a chord that would produce repentance. Sadly, it seemed to only provoke more anger. Frigga found the strength to take a few steps forward, but continued to sob in the process. Before she could pass him, Odin caught her by the arm and held her back. He gestured to her, still glaring at Loki. "Do you see? Do you see the grief you've caused your mother?"

"She is _**not**_ my mother," Loki hissed back. In his mind he immediately attacked his own words. They were ungrateful, cruel, and untrue all at once.

Frigga felt her heart contort painfully and then suddenly stop altogether. She knelt, clutching her chest and letting out a horrified scream. Odin knelt immediately, catching her as she collapsed the rest of the way to the floor nearest him. Loki's own heart began to race. What had he done? He had broken the heart of the fairest, most tender creature in the nine realms! Odin called out to her, but she remained unmoving. Fear began to overtake the All Father's voice as the guards raced in. Without a word, Loki rushed forward to see about her as well. Odin turned just as he was about to join them and rose swiftly, aiming the spear at his foster child and shouting at him as loudly as he had done when the boy had tried to intervene on Thor's behalf. Loki froze in the same manner, but with greater fear and sorrow emblazoned on his features. Odin breathed heavily and continued to hold Gungnir aloft at the boy. This outburst was unforgivable. If he was foolish enough to turn away his loving mother, a woman that had chosen to love him despite his obvious maladies, then he was unworthy of love at all. No, the only thing this ungrateful monster deserved was the same suffering he had caused. Fear as he had never felt before surged through Loki as Odin spoke.

"Loki Laufeyson," Odin said slowly, deliberately, and furiously. The use of his birth-father's name made the trickster retch within and felt as though he had just been stabbed through the very middle with the edge of a burning sword. The guards remained still, equally afraid of what was about to transpire as Odin held Gungnir readying to strike the son he had just disowned more fully than Laufey ever could have done in hiding him. "You are no longer citizen of Asgard," he continued and Loki could feel that in those words was the notion 'you are no son of mine' as well. He felt the invisible blade cut deeper and turn upward as if trying to cleave him in two. He stumbled back a step at his father's wrath. "And you will not return on pain of torture and death!" With the last word, Odin fired a blast of energy from Gungnir in front of Loki, enough to terrify him into disappearing from the throne room but with no intention of actually killing him. He panted as the sparks that flew from the spear's head settled and fizzled out, leaving the guards, himself, and his wife alone in the throne room once more. He knelt and took her into his arms, clutching her tightly and cursing himself for allowing such harm to come to everyone he loved most dearly.


	20. Avenged, Astounded, Arrived

Chapter 20: Avenged, Astounded, Arrived

In Asgard, the guards that had been present spread quickly the account of what had transpired in the throne room and stated that when Odin fired Gungnir at the heartbroken Loki, that the trickster allowed himself to be consumed by his father's wrath and died. Only two citizens of Asgard knew that this was not the case, Odin and Drifa, but neither had the presence to correct this for the time being. Odin was too overwhelmed trying to revive a comatose Frigga while Drifa perched ready for the next opportunity to descend upon Loki and take him further into the truth. Frigga would have to be convinced that her son lived once she had awakened to the whispers of the servants, but the All Father concentrated effort more on waking her and awaiting Thor's return. Loki could be dealt with in due time. Odin had done a good thing in taking the boy, but he had not been truly rescued from a horrific fate until being placed in Frigga's arms for the first time and meeting the excited gaze of Thor as well. In a short time, the royal family would emerge tried like gold and just as brilliant.

On earth, Loki had arrived and taken the place of his mirror form, but he had been shaken terribly by the ordeal with his parents (adopted parents, of course). He was so shaken, in fact, that he felt it necessary to turn on the Chitauri and their ruler Thanos before he had planned. This was not, of course, a wise and effective measure which led him to a humiliating plea for help from the very heroes that he had nearly defeated. It aggravated him to no end that he was now in need of the assistance of that wretched Tony Stark and the ever-irritating Steve Rogers that made Loki rethink the notion of allowing nations to retain their own sovereignty once he had control of this realm. But after more than two weeks of failure and frustration, Loki found himself rid of the pestilence he had used to carry out his plan in the first place and once again in need of subjugating the final resistance humanity had offered.

He had said nothing to his brother about the incident in Asgard and knew that he would return to earth as soon as possible to start a fight about the health of their mother. Loki felt that she was still alive, but terribly wounded. He knew how to fix that; all he had to do once ruler of this realm was harness the lights at the top and bottom of the world to rebuild the Bifrost for her and then have word sent to her that he would speak with her and make amends with his mother. Another part of him believed that she could never love him again and would likely accept his father's order for banishment. After being thoroughly beaten senseless yet again by the collage of heroes, Loki retreated back to Sylvanheim and prepared to create another plan to acquire his brother's favor. He could bargain with Jane for the opportunity to speak with Frigga. There would be other ways to overtake earth and no doubt Eldred would be willing to assist if promised the rune he had been seeking. Loki had several plans to carry out and all of them were small enough to fulfill without a great deal of thinking and strain. This would be the closest thing to repose that he would enjoy in years.

On Sylvanheim Darcy had learned to occupy her time with an amazing peace of mind that Brenhin had never encountered in the few brief encounters he had been given with humans. Brenhin was obligated more to Eldred in Loki's absence and found the unoccupied moments with Darcy a satisfying break from the norm. In his youth, Loki had been a pleasant diversion and Brenhin had loved spending hours conversing and practicing simple spells with the trickster. As he had grown, sorrow and frustration had turned to Eldred's advantage and Loki had slowly become the temperamental, arrogant prince he accused his brother of being. Brenhin learned some of earth's history, cultures, and current problems from Darcy all while being entertained with stories stemming in every direction from various modern and mid-ancient myths. Darcy had never considered things like Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Disney to be myths, but Brenhin assured her that stories so complex and detailed could be nothing else particularly if they had affected the lives of so many including the leaders of her world. Simultaneously, Darcy had learned things she had never imagined using much less experiencing. Without digital technology she had learned to use a quill for recording a more accurate passing of time and things that she wanted to remember for future reference. With no microwave or even a large stove she had learned how to make fire indoors and prepare a number of small meals that Brenhin had grown accustomed to serving. Not having a television or computer, she took to storytelling and listening to stories like a fish to water. Brenhin had emphatically stated that one so adaptable was no less than praise-worthy. She had seemed convinced that she would waste away the first day without any hope of having her comfortable HD life returned to her. At least before Loki had left there was the promise of being returned to all of it shortly.

By the time two weeks had passed, the amount of time Brenhin had assured her would be his limit, Darcy had grown so thrilled by these new surroundings that it didn't occur to her that he was late in returning. She had come dangerously close to revealing herself no less than five times, but had become extremely careful since. Here she had no one muttering about how inept she was in their field of study, she wasn't excluded from conversation, she wasn't constantly trying to keep up with words and phrases she could barely understand, and she wasn't being bored to tears in a lab practicing her hacking skills between loading information into multiple databases. True she enjoyed working with the equipment, Jane and Selvig had never been purposefully cruel, and she did miss the company of other humans, but Darcy had never been able to sit still for very long and this presented opportunities for little adventures and fulfilling accomplishments by the minute! She and Brenhin had even taken several walks through the forest to collect various flowers and herbs to replenish Eldred and Loki's constant supply.

All in all, Darcy thought that if she had to be forced into staying here to save Jane from being held captive by the man who hated her newfound love, then she was in the right place to do so. The more she and Brenhin spoke about Loki, the more romanticized her view of him became. Brenhin painted a picture of a displaced little boy thrust into the role of adult in a world where he definitely didn't belong and was constantly reminded of how weak by comparison to the magnificent warriors that were his brother and his friends. In her mind, Darcy determined that if Jane was going to have the strapping Thor, then maybe a fellow nerd might have a chance with his tormented brother. Brenhin retold several stories about Loki's adventures with his brother and the warriors three throughout the different realms. When it came down to it, Loki had saved the lives of everyone present in practically every given occasion. None of the others had the power to escape the hostile worlds when they had given their all physically. She wondered if she could persuade him to show her the extent of some of these powers, especially in changing his form. It would be amazing to see him change himself into various creatures! While Loki set about returning to Sylvanheim, Brenhin and Darcy finished arranging the sundry herbs and flowers in bundles. Darcy felt absolutely giddy tying the lengths of twine around the stems and then gathering another aromatic bundle and doing the same. She felt like a small child again, helping in the garden.

"So then, when the man thinks that he's married another woman to make up for killing the man's daughter with the lies that had been spread about her, she suddenly pulls back the veil and reveals that it was her all along. Then the couple that hated each other start to get angry again, but their friends have found love letters professing their love for each other and they hand hers to him and his to her before they finally reveal that they're in love and they get married, too," Darcy explained. Brenhin smirked and shook his head muttering 'what nonsense'. Darcy frowned. "What? I love that story."

"Your William Shakespeare had a poor grasp of love in comedy. If a man truly hated a woman as his Benedict claimed to have done, it would be completely unreasonable for him to fall madly in love in only three acts," Brenhin replied, tying off a bundle of flowers that smelled like chamomile and looked like foxgloves.

"That's the thing, they really did love each other all along, and that's why they were so angry at each other. Some people fight love and they end up falling the hardest. The more passionate a couple is, the more they fight," Darcy continued. "I'd give anything to have lover's quarrels. The last guy I dated was so indecisive he couldn't even decide which coffee to order without asking someone else for their input. You know what I mean? He just couldn't think for himself."

"Then shouldn't that have made him malleable enough for you to mold into the perfect mate?" Brenhin asked confusedly.

Darcy laughed. "I'm not looking for mold, it's icky," she said with a wink. Brenhin chuckled and looked back down at his work. She sighed and twirled one of the sprigs of what appeared to be something from the juniper family between her thumb and forefinger. "I want someone who isn't afraid to take charge, but isn't afraid to be vulnerable, either."

"Then you want a living conflict, something that does not exist," Brenhin replied with another laugh. Darcy frowned a little, realizing that there was a small truth to what he had said. "And I suppose you found that in Thor?"

"Huh? No, he's not interested at all," she said without thinking. Brenhin raised a brow inquisitively at her as she recognized the error in her wording. She blushed a little and cleared her throat. "I mean, he's not interested in being both of those so I guess I had to compromise a little for that."

"Then I hope for your sake he's worth the compromise," Brenhin replied. Eldred's voice rang throughout the fortress for a moment. Brenhin frowned and stood; setting down the bundles he had been admiring and turning to leave. "I'll be back in a moment. Try to stay here and don't venture back into the rest of the fortress unaccompanied again. I don't want to explain to Loki why his things have been riffled through in his absence."

"Hey, I didn't know it was his room and I told you if you'd give me my taser back that I wouldn't need to go looking for it," she replied defensively.

Brenhin shook his head and hurried out of the room toward the sorcerer's chambers. Brenhin found Eldred still looming over the cauldron looking more pleased with himself now than when seeing Loki destroy the mirror before leaving. He didn't like this kind of satisfaction nor did he expect that it had anything to do with himself or the mortal. "Yes, Master Eldred?"

"Loki will be returning from Midgard presently after a splendid failure. Be sure that he comes to speak to me immediately. I want a full recount of what transpired on Midgard and how its weaknesses can be exploited in the future," Eldred commanded. _With the final rune of power, I can do all that the little whelp couldn't . . . and more_, he thought to himself. Brenhin frowned but nodded and turned to leave before he could be given further instruction. Eldred noted this. He had seen Brenhin's disapproval of his work for some time, but recently it had grown more overt. There were only two ways to handle this and Eldred did so prefer the hard way.

Brenhin hurried back to where he had left Darcy and was very much relieved to find that she had remained in one place. He drew in a deep breath and took her by the arm. "Come. Loki is in the process of returning according to Master Eldred, and you will be safest out of sight," he said quickly, urging her to stand.

Darcy frowned at him and glanced toward the door, hesitating and hoping to see that he was returning relatively unharmed. The weeks spent here had given her an image of Loki that stirred more than compassion within her for him. Perhaps it was being so deprived of the world she knew and being therefore vulnerable, or perhaps it was the memory of the kiss they had 'shared' when he had first abducted her, but Darcy had started entertaining the notion that she might be able to have a flattering tryst with the immortal. She could easily play on the notion that he would be having something that belonged to his brother, a thought that would surely be an agreeable one to the jealous trickster. After all, if Jane could find her way that quickly into Thor's heart and mind, then maybe her counterfeit self could make her way into Loki's arms. Darcy then briefly entertained the idea that it was pure lust for the sorcerer, not compassion at all, but that idea passed as swiftly as it had arisen. She rose slowly from her chair, but continued to pause, still staring at the large doors leading into and out of the fortress. Brenhin groaned and tried to pull her away from the table and the view of the entrance.

"He didn't actually take over the world, did he?" she asked, still trying to delay.

Brenhin groaned. "Of course not; there would have been a more prompt and brazen return if he had actually succeeded," Brenhin replied, still trying to be as gentle as possible while pulling her in the other direction. "You do not want to be present when he returns. He is in poor enough spirits with minor disappointments and you've witnessed how frightful that can be. A full failure will put him in a foul temper."

"Then maybe he should have . . . " she began.

Brenhin grunted in frustration and then realized that he still had leverage. He reached into one of the secret pockets in his robes and withdrew the taser, holding it in front of her so that she could get a good, full look at it. Her eyes widened and she instantly reached out for it. Brenhin drew it back toward him and raised one brow at her. "I will return this if you will go straight to your quarters," he offered. Darcy grimaced at that, but then nodded resolutely. He placed it in her hand and pointed towards the stairs leading into the rest of the fortress. "Go quickly or I will reclaim it."

"I'm going already," Darcy said as she hurried off towards her assigned quarters. She paused yet again in the stairway, looking back at the doors. Brenhin turned and glared at her as she waited. She rolled her eyes and huffed, disappearing up the stairs at last. She made her way to the door and gripped the handle. Just as she turned the knob, she heard a loud 'bang' and recognized the sound of heavy footsteps. She froze and listened carefully. She could hear Brenhin's voice saying something, but it was too soft to make out at the moment. Loki's voice spoke in reply and she felt her heart race, both out of natural fear and unnatural attraction. Something had to have changed in being here, she realized, because under similar circumstances on earth she would have called anyone with these feelings for their captor a lunatic. Still, there was the fact that her captor had gorgeous green eyes and a terrible past to escape which also made him irresistible to any girl between relationships. She entered the room momentarily, hiding the taser under the mattress and then stepped back out, waiting outside the door for him to make his way up the stairs. If he seemed dangerous, she could dart inside, but if he seemed anything else, she wanted to try and speak to him about everything she had heard while he was away.

(*)

Loki breathed heavily as he finally made his way back into his own quarters as exhaustion took hold of him. He was powerless to fight away the nagging memories and haunting images any longer, but at least in the solitude of his own quarters he could clear his thoughts and occupy himself with further schemes. Here, far enough from Eldred and very far away from the sight of humanity with their heroes, the Chitauri, his foster family and the realm of perfect beings that had mocked him all of his life, he could pretend for a few brief moments that he had been born, reared, and now ruled over the forest realm with superior intellect and unprecedented benevolence. The journey back to Sylvanheim had been more difficult than any other incidence of transporting himself from one realm to another. Brenhin's conveyance of Eldred's demands had not helped his current mood and he had firmly told the servant that Eldred was not a priority and he would speak with him when he had recovered from the ordeal and was ready, not a moment before. Sensing this, Eldred had immediately sent out a simple charm, undetectable by the exhausted apprentice, to prevent him from blocking out the incident with his family that still plagued him. It had been at a safe enough distance from his mind even during the battle and defeat on Midgard, but now he would be unable to keep it from wreaking havoc on his consciousness. Brenhin noted the flash of rage and heartbreak in the youth's eyes, deciding against reminding him that Eldred was the master of the fortress. He had gone on to venture out on a limb, asking Loki what had transpired on his excursion. Loki had given a small account of the failure on Midgard, attributing it to the wound he had received from his father and the one he had inflicted accidentally in his mother. Brenhin had remained speechless as Loki moved past him and up the stairs without any further explanation.

His heart began to ache terribly as the memories of Asgard and its people became too strong to ignore. Each of the memories revisited a rift in his heart from years of broken dreams. His punishment was a comparatively permanent and painful one by comparison to what Thor's had been; the older son had never been threatened with torture and death. The words of his father rang loudly in his ears as did the sound of his mother's scream; so loudly that he felt compelled to cover them for a moment. The thundering of his pulse coupled with the order of banishment suddenly grew overwhelming. His breathing was laced with a stifled scream that produced sporadic shouting mingled with the sobs he had tried to push aside. Tears followed swiftly and within a full two minutes of sitting down on the floor and leaning against the wall, Loki found himself weeping like a dejected child yet again. He had never experienced hostility to this degree and had certainly never made his brother this angry before. For the better part of his childhood, Thor had been his hero and idol; now he could scarcely think of him without a flood of negativity. He covered his face with both hands and, thinking that he was now completely and utterly alone with no hope of returning home, cried more loudly than he could remember. Even if his father had not given the order there would be no going back now. He had thoroughly disgraced himself, alienated himself from his people, but worst of all he had devastated his mother. He thought about the numerous 'friends' he would leave behind in Asgard including the treacherous yet lovely Sif and then felt a new rift in his heart form as he realized that none of them would miss him.

Just as he thought sorrow would engulf him entirely and he would drown in this desperate darkness, he felt a hand on his shoulder. It wasn't truly noticeable at first, but then another hand softly touched the side of his head and urged him to turn and face whoever had joined him. He breathed sharply trying to curb the outburst as he allowed his hands to drop and turned to see the intruder. Darcy looked back into his eyes, her own swollen with tears as she stared back silently. The two exchanged glances for several moments in silence before Darcy spoke. "I'm sorry," she whispered. He looked back at her in surprise wondering how in the world she could feel sorry for him. She scooted a little closer and gripped his shoulder more tightly.

The vision of his mother collapsing flashed in front of him and he felt part of his heart burst at thinking that not only would he never have her comfort again, but that he was directly responsible for it. Overwhelmed once more, he placed both hands over his face and breathed heavily. Pride had vanished into the darkness that had overtaken him, so the thought of being so vulnerable in front of anyone, particularly a mortal was a moot point for the time being. Darcy bit her lip and tried to think of something, anything to help. No one deserved to suffer like this no matter what trouble they had caused and she felt her own heart ache on his behalf. A thought came to her from one of the superficial recesses of information she had acquired in the past year. It was silly and spontaneous, but that was how he was always portrayed in the passages she had read; if that was how he was supposed to be, then maybe that would soothe him. If nothing else, the longer he remained oppressed by this negativity, the more likely he would be to lash out at her in the near future. Yes, ridiculous or otherwise, she had to act quickly. She cleared her throat and recalled the song that had crossed her mind.

"_Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur_," she sang, trying to remember the exact tune and words after being so focused on the jargon the physicists used, rather than enjoying it for its real virtues. "_Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr_." Loki stopped sobbing and moving altogether, taken completely by surprise at this gesture and its absurdity. It was odd, but the distraction seemed to lessen the intensity of the setback on earth and the cruel strike from his father. She noticed that his mood had shifted slightly and it didn't seem to be worsened. Encouraged by this, she continued. "_Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur_," she sang once more, this time putting one hand on the side of his head as she sang. He gave her a cynical side glance as she finished. "_Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr_."

"Is that really how you comfort someone in distress or is that some form of mockery?" he asked, anger beginning to well within him again. "It sounds like mockery and blatantly patronizing."

"Hey, that is a method used by one of the greatest minds of the 21st century . . . in theory," she corrected. He glanced up at her, still not convinced, but gratefully diverted from sadness for the moment. "Besides, 'Soft Kitty' made my friends feel better when they were sick," she reasoned.

"Sorrow at the loss of one's home and family is not sickness, silly girl," he replied, shaking his head glumly.

"Homesick is a type of sick," she offered. Loki was so overtaken by this diversion and her incurable good humor that he smiled at this and started to feel the ache of banishment ebb for now. Darcy was absolutely giddy at having this serendipitous notion actually work. In truth, the past two weeks had been the most fun she'd had in years and despite the return of a potential rain cloud in an otherwise sunny streak, things only seemed to be getting more fun and fulfilling by the hour. She leaned down and wrapped one arm around his shoulders behind him and pressed her cheek against the top of his head, still keeping the other hand on his shoulder next to her. He didn't fight this and contemplated the idea that either she was becoming mad so far away from home, or that his brother had found the most adaptable and compassionate creature earth had to offer. That would help explain why it was so miserable a place when he had arrived recently. "I'm sorry you didn't get to . . . to . . . to . . ." she stammered, trying to think of what was best to say to someone who had just tried to conquer the world. It seemed above odd to say that she was sorry he didn't have dominion over her world and it would have been entirely untrue as well. "Well, I'm sorry you had a bad time, anyway."

"The army wasn't nearly sufficient and it was poorly timed on their part," he rationalized. Darcy fought away the urge to reply to that especially given the fact that he had been in charge of the timing. Instead, she squeezed the hand over the shoulder nearest her. "But there are other possibilities open to me and I intend to make good use of all of them, one at a time."

"Well, at least you still have me," she offered. Granted it wasn't the best thing to mention with his changing temper and the thought of him turning all his unrequited attention to making his brother suffer through her suffering, but Darcy thought that it might serve as some very small reminder of a small, and false, victory.

He reached up to her hand and placed his over it, realizing that he still had a great advantage, one that he could exploit without constraint of worrying about what mother and father thought. He grinned, fully comforted by the option of further scheming with such a significant weapon. "Yes," he said smoothly. "I still have you."


	21. By the River at Midnight

_(((I wanted a little bit of fluff from the side characters before we dive head-first back into the action and fighting. It will be a few more chapters down the line, but Darcy will have to come clean sooner or later and Loki will have to admit that he was w-w-w-wrong!)))_

Chapter 21: By the River at Midnight

Sif clung tightly to Fandral, sobbing uncontrollably as the four warriors gathered under the cloak of night at the edge of Asgard proper. The night sky's reflection glistened in the river that led out to the sea, a place the friends thought fitting as a place to say a last goodbye. Fandral held his friend as best he could while stifling tears of his own. Despite the news that one of the princes was dead, Odin had not only refused to declare a state of mourning, but had forbidden any of those who had befriended him to have time to mourn either. Though most of the citizens in the palace itself had been irritated by Loki at some time or another, no one could stay angry at him for very long and certainly no one thought that this order was fitting. Whispers about the unfettered and dangerous wrath of the king began to appear in the most secret of places. In the meantime, the warriors three and Sif had been forced to remember their fallen friend at the edge of the city and in the dead of night, assured by Heimdall that he would not report it to the king. Volstagg had been sure that he had seen one tear in the gatekeeper's eye when speaking to them, but perhaps it had been a reflection of his own. True, Loki had been a jealous and hostile ruler, but even those who had witnessed the betrayal toward Thor didn't think that he was deserving of death. After all, they each owed him their lives in turn from numerous adventures.

Fandral shook his head as Sif grew a little more quiet and still. He turned to his two fellow warriors and frowned. "Someone should say something," he remarked.

"What should we say?" Volstagg asked. He agreed, but he couldn't actually think of anything to say aloud right now.

"We should not be here," Hogun said softly. Sif began sobbing once more at this and Fandral glared at his grim companion. "He is not dead."

"Would you stop saying that?" Fandral hissed. Hogun turned to him, his unwavering expression holding an undertone of scorn. "We all know the All Father's command and we all know that Loki didn't deserve to be executed."

"I don't think that's much in honoring his memory," Volstagg added. The other two turned and glared at their companion, anger surging through all three aimed at one another rather than the real deserving recipients. The All Father had been acting strangely and Loki's actions had been strange as well, but trying to decide what it was that had prompted this was maddening. In fact, the four were all very surprised that Frigga had managed to stave off collapsing in a heap for this long with Thor's banishment, the All Father's odd wrath and Odinsleep, and Loki's exaggerated mischief. Volstagg hesitated a moment, thinking about the adventure the group had shared in Helheim where Loki had first discovered a skill in transforming into other creatures. When a mud-beast had attacked, he had been separated from the group and fell to his knees sure that he would die. Volstagg could still remember the amazing display of the trickster instantly morphing into a rabbit and darting back toward his friends. It had shocked him and frightened him so much that it took nearly a full day to get him back to normal. It had been most amusing to watch the mud-beast try and chase after the trickster, running right into the side of a mountain in the process and dying instantly. Volstagg still remembered trying to corner the frightened trickster as they set about returning home. "I'll say this; he may not have had courage, but he did have a good way out of any situation . . . for all of us."

"He never once spoke about himself in public, never flaunted his own deeds," Fandral added. "Aside from sending a monster to prevent Thor's return and possibly kill us in the process, I believe Loki was every bit the hero he always wanted to be."

"There has never been a more cunning and skillful warrior in the service of Asgard," Hogun added solemnly.

While he still refused to believe that a sorcerer could be killed that easily, he realized it best to appease the sorrow of his friends for the time being. If and when Loki was ready to return he would do so and trying to make the others believe in it was useless. He raised his fist over his heart, saluting the heavens in a gesture common among the funerals held for deserving warriors. Volstagg did the same, sighing heavily and shaking his head. Sif released Fandral, allowing him to do the same and stepping in front of the three, grasping the dagger she had taken from his belt. The three watched as she raised the dagger up to the hair pulled into a bundle on top of her head. Tears streamed down either side of her face as she looked up into the sky, scanning the stars in the hopes that just maybe Hogun's denial was truth. A few seconds passed and she frowned, realizing that if Hogun had been right, then surely it would have been proven by now. She couldn't see Loki allowing his father to have made such a decree without challenging it. She gripped the dagger and, with one harsh swipe, cut away the stream of hair. Fandral and Volstagg watched in bewilderment as she grasped the hair in one hand and knelt at the river leading out and into the sea.

"I will not say now what I should have said to you in life," she said staring down at the locks of dark hair. As part of a lover's quarrel, Loki had shaved Sif's head, depriving her of the golden tresses that were common among the rest of the citizens of Asgard. When he had appeared, hearing her cries and lamenting, he had immediately offered to replace it with magic from the sun itself. At the time, Sif had felt closest to him and instead asked for hair from the night sky's magic, dark like his own. She grasped its softness one last time and then set it into the water, willing it to follow the reflection of the magic that had forged it. "Farewell, Loki."

Hogun moved to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. She rose silently and nodded to him. The group slowly made their way back to the palace. There seemed to be some sort of commotion in the servants. The four soon discovered that Frigga had awakened and that Heimdall had sent word to the king that Thor was returning home . . . with a human companion. The three men had exchanged uncomfortable glances. It was difficult enough to deal with the news of Loki's death amongst themselves, but to think of Thor returning to the news along with the command forbidding any mourning was less than unpleasant. As strange and exaggerated as the All Father's wrath had been, Thor's temper was more frightful when thoroughly provoked. Volstagg shook his head and turned to the rest of his friends.

"Come on, no doubt the queen will not be strong enough to be the only voice of reason," he said. The others nodded and followed after him. Sif walked more calmly and proudly, hoping that someone would ask her about the severed hair. Fandral felt uneasy about the decision and feared the reaction of the king to this defiance. Volstagg thought about the quarrel that would ensue when Thor returned and how Frigga would no doubt be the only thing to keep peace in the kingdom during it. Hogun continued to recount what he had been saying to the others. Loki was not dead and while he might not be able to convince the others at the moment of this, he was sure that Thor would agree with him. That alone would be enough to assuage any hostility in the royal household, at least until retrieving the trickster and setting everything to right with everyone present.


	22. Frigga Awakens, Darcy Attacks

_(((Not as much action as I had wanted for this chapter, but I'm exhausted. Besides, it's about time Loki learned what a taser is and what it does for future reference!)))_

Chapter 22: Frigga Awakens, Darcy Attacks

Odin hurried from the throne room toward the bedchamber where Frigga lay. A servant had told him that his wife had recently awakened and the All Father had dismissed the court despite being told that his son was returning with a human companion. The sight of Frigga fainting was more horrific than anything Odin had seen in battle. At the same time, the thought of their adopted child wandering out in the outer realms feeling unloved and unwanted was also cut through his heart like a dagger. Despite being the bold and sturdy warrior that had defended the nine realms for centuries, Odin's heart was essentially as tender and compassionate as Frigga's. He had been called upon to suppress the show of it for years, but he still yearned to have his family whole and comforted once more. A twinge of grief struck him as he passed the servants looking very saddened indeed. His anger had formed the decree to exile Loki and threaten him, greater anger and sadness had formed the decree to forbid any public mourning; this was rationalized in his mind partially by reminding himself that Loki was still alive and the other rationalization stemmed from the fact that the trickster was essentially criminal. Of course there was no crime that Odin could outright find to accuse him of other than creating a disturbance in the kingdom since the abduction of mortals had been an acceptable practice for centuries. Still, the All Father was cross with his younger son and there would be little anyone could do to undo it in the near future. The servants bowed low and cleared the room as the All Father entered and raced to his wife's bedside. Odin's heart raced at the sight of her eyes open and waiting to see him. He hurried to her side and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Frigga embraced him in return weakly. He pulled away, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Beloved, my dearest," he whispered gently kissing her. Frigga remained perfectly still and looked sternly into his eyes. He felt heat from her gaze and instantly his heart fell. Something had upset her which clearly meant the servants had spoken to her before he had managed to arrive, something he had dreaded. "What troubles you, my love?"

"Where is our son, Odin?" she said slowly. He frowned.

"Heimdall tells me that Thor will arrive shortly," Odin replied. Frigga's eyes flashed with even greater anger.

"I know where Thor is I have always known where Thor is," she said, still slowly and firmly. Odin frowned a little more and looked away. "Where is he, Odin?" she continued. The All Father sighed and sat back, looking down sadly. Frigga's heart began to race, afraid that what the servants said was true in its entirety. Odin's wrath had been very strange as of late and doing something as regrettable as attacking their adopted son was, unfortunately, not terribly unbelievable for the queen. She glared at him, sitting more upright and raising her voice more with each word. "Where is _**Loki**_?"

"_**I don't know**_," he shouted in return. He stared back into the tear-filled eyes of his queen and felt like an utter failure. One son was returning from an a journey to earth having his life endangered repeatedly following an exile he didn't deserve, the other son was somewhere in the cosmos dejected from a time on the throne that was not altogether usurpation and being lied to for the majority of his miserable life, and now his wife was weakened by all of this sorrow from both sons and felt as though her husband had murdered both of them. He sighed and gripped his head anxiously. "I sentenced him to banishment more permanent than Thor's," he said. Frigga let out a tiny shriek at this and Odin's heart ached. "I was overcome. Your fall and his outburst it was too much. I defended my wife and home."

"You fired your own weapon at him," she said beginning to sob. "You could have killed him, you _**tried**_ to kill him!"

"I did not try to kill him! If I had tried I would have succeeded and you would have just reason to weep," Odin replied harshly. She shook her head, looking away and sobbing harder. "I will consult the warriors three and send them to find him wherever he is."

"NO!" Frigga shouted deeply and sternly. He froze at this. Even as a scolding mother she had never raised her voice to this level before. It frightened him and impressed him at once. She breathed heavily and scowled at him. "You will send Volstagg to me and I will make sure our son is found. You have done nothing but tear this family apart since your children were old enough to walk!"

"I have held all of this together! They have both disrupted their home in their own ways, both of them," he replied hotly. Frigga growled a little, sending a thorough chill through her husband. He walked towards the door, cursing himself for his own temper. He turned and looked at her with a measure of shame in his proud features. She straightened and watched him, relieved that he felt something other than anger. "I will send Volstagg to you. And I will do whatever else I can to find Loki."

"You will rescind that ridiculous decree in the meantime," she hissed.

"I will not take back my word as king," he retorted loudly. Frigga raised one brow reproachfully. Odin breathed deeply and looked away. "I will have to make a new command, instead." He turned and grasped the door handle sadly, shuddering to think what the first few words with Thor would be like if his mother was this hostile.

"Do not show yourself to me again until he is found," Frigga warned in a very low tone. He could hear her voice still quivering with tears, but she was as angered as any other facing maternal scorn. Loki's words had been aimed at Odin, not her and the truth bothered the All Father more than his insolence. He nodded solemnly and opened the door. Whatever news Thor brought and whatever transpired with the mortal he clearly wished to bring to his side, the issue with Loki would have to take first priority. Odin now feared that if he couldn't convince the trickster to return, that Frigga would die of a broken heart and it would be no less than he deserved for all of his carelessness.

(*)

Throughout the night, Darcy found it nearly impossible to sleep. She groaned and looked up, out the window, at the moons in the sky. They appeared to be the same size, but one was a little behind and beneath the other. She drew her knees up to her chest, folding her arms around them and sighing heavily. There were noises from the wilderness drifting in every so often. Darcy had never found any use for sound machines that produced these noises for people in the city who weren't meant to be there, but she had never understood why fabricating such distracting noises like crickets, owls, birds, or even running water were appealing to anyone. Now she felt they were less appealing when real. She heard footsteps down the hall and heard both Brenhin and Loki's voices. Quickly, she moved to the door and listened, opening the door only slightly to better hear what was transpiring.

"You really believe that is true?" Brenhin asked. Darcy thought this was odd, not simply because Brenhin was a servant and not supposed to question anyone in authority, but because it seemed like he was asking about something the trickster was about to undertake. It was the middle of the night and, immortal or otherwise, she had not known any of the three citizens of the fortress to begin anything in the middle of the night. "It's an unnecessary diversion, I tell you."

"Go and put her where she belongs, Brenhin," Loki replied. He sounded angry and something else as well. Darcy furrowed her brow. He had been cast out of his home, hence the weeping upon returning to the fortress, but now he seemed positively hurt by something else. She frowned. "I should have had her there all along."

"Do you realize how many times your mind has swung back and forth on this? You wanted her as a prisoner then as a receptacle for your magic, you wanted her as your own in place of Sif and now you want to return her to your brother. Is there any consistency in you?" Brenhin asked in exasperation. Darcy couldn't see what was transpiring, but she could almost hear Loki glaring at the servant with every word exchanged. "If your sulking and schemes were a pendulum, it would fly in every direction!"

"Do not contend with what I ask of you, Brenhin," Loki said fiercely. Darcy felt a small shiver move through her at realizing he must have been asking for something unpleasant and it involved her. "You are a servant, not my equal."

"I am Master Eldred's servant, Loki, not yours," Brenhin replied just as fervently. "And I will not comply with something so cruel."

"It is not cruel, it is a fitting place for a prisoner, now go and get her," Loki continued. Brenhin folded his arms defiantly, unmoving as he glared at the young apprentice. Loki growled. "So be it; I'll do it myself."

"I will warn you, she is not unskilled in defending herself and you have not been as cruel to her as you could have been. I wager that if you try and relocate her in the middle of the night because of the childish chiding from Master Eldred, then you will be met with opposition," Brenhin said firmly. Darcy's mind raced and she hurried back over to the bed, grabbing the taser she had hidden and removing the safety lock. It took a few seconds for the machine to ready itself, signaling its power with a small green light. "I am wise enough to not wake a woman without just cause, but it is your choice, not mine to make."

"And yet you persist to choose to anger me, that hardly seems wise," Loki shot back as he headed down the hallway toward her door. Darcy panicked and gripped the taser, careful not to aim it at herself while touching the trigger. She ducked behind the door and breathed heavily as she waited for him to arrive. He wanted to relocate her, but where? Surely he wasn't thinking about taking her back at this hour or without accomplishing anything sinister. She bit her lip and waited. She heard him outside the door as he arrived and knocked loudly. She jumped a little and gasped, but didn't answer. She darted back to the nightstand and hurriedly put her glasses back on before taking her position behind the door once again. "Jane, awake and open the door, now."

Darcy frowned, sighed heavily, and opened the door a few inches, looking out at him anxiously. "Am I in trouble for something?" she asked apprehensively.

"Eldred wants you elsewhere in the fortress while I seek something for him," he said forcing the door open more and trying to take hold of her by the shoulder. Darcy was faster and more alert than usual, able to keep out of his reach for a few moments. He sighed and looked intently at her. "Come, Jane, it is late and I need to retire as soon as you are settled in the dungeon."

"The what?" Darcy exclaimed. Her heart began to race. Why did the old sorcerer want her there? For that matter why would his apprentice have agreed to it? She backed away, holding the taser just out of view. "I'm not going down there, I haven't done anything wrong!"

"You'll be less of a diversion when out of sight," he explained further. She looked into his eyes confusedly. So the old man was concerned about him being distracted. That was likely because of the failure on earth, but there had to be something else as well. He had refused to go and speak to him immediately upon arriving, but he had done that in the past, at least twice while she had been there. There had to be another reason, something she couldn't see right away. He reached for her once more, grasping a handful of air as she darted out of the way and held the taser up toward him. "This is not optional; I am already tired and aggravated enough."

"I'm not going to a dungeon, I'm not a criminal," she replied, still holding the taser high enough to be menacing. He frowned at her, clearly trying not to use more force than simply taking hold of her. "I've been fine where I am and I've been nothing but nice to you even when you didn't deserve it . . . you don't deserve it!" she continued, her voice rising two octaves in the process. He closed his eyes and looked away for a moment, knowing that what she was saying was more than true. She dropped one arm to her side, still holding the taser up at him with the other. "I haven't even tried to run off anymore! I comforted you, I sang _'Soft Kitty'_ for you!"

"And that is precisely the kind of distraction that should be prevented in the future," he explained angrily.

_Whoa_, she thought,_ you're master doesn't want you getting positive reinforcement_. "So you want to feel miserable, is that it?" she asked, rising one octave more.

"I am in no mood for any questions from you, now come along before I . . ." he began. Before he could finish, Darcy fired the taser. She had become so frightened by this concept arising so suddenly in the dead of night that her hands had grown clammy and sweaty, unable to keep from slipping and hitting the trigger when he started approaching yet again. Immediately the pair of copper barbs flew from the end of the device and embedded themselves a small distance below his ribs. Darcy gasped. This was too close to vital organs to set off, but her hands were paralyzed around the object in fear. She worried that if she tried to put it down now that she would send several jots of electricity at him just as she had done to Thor, but with as small and slight as he was it would likely have a more lasting effect than it did on his muscular sibling. Loki drew in a sharp breath at feeling the two tiny blades pierce his skin under the fabric he wore. Even with the layer of leather and linen, he felt the sharp stab of each and they were quite painful. Still, these small wounds were not enough to stop an immortal and he took another step towards her. "That was fruitless," he remarked. He was unable to detect the wires leading out from them for the time being.

Trembling, Darcy groaned inwardly as she felt her thumb slip over the second trigger, sending several volts into him. She let out a small cry as he dropped to his knees, clutching himself over the barbs and gasping for breath. She stayed frozen in place as he grunted a few times and then caught his breath. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to set it off!" she exclaimed, still unable to move. He coughed a few times and lifted his gaze back to hers. He seemed otherwise unharmed, but a little embarrassed by this falter. She disconnected the wires with one of the buttons on the side and continued to watch him as he slowly stood. To her surprise, he didn't come any closer this time. "I'm sorry . . . I am so sorry," she continued to stammer.

"Fine, stay where you are, but do not leave these quarters until I come for you again," he hissed, still trying to breathe normally despite the electric intervention. He didn't look physically wounded, but the blow to his pride seemed to be enough to make him think twice about coming at her again. He quickly made his way out of the door, slamming it behind him and leaning against the wall beside it. Brenhin gave him a disapproving look and wordlessly reached down, taking hold of the wire and ripping the barbs free of him. He cried out and scowled at the servant. "I suppose you think that was a fitting reaction."

"I did warn you that she is capable," Brenhin countered.

Loki growled and moved past him back toward his own quarters. "Whatever that is, remove it from her before morning," he snarled. "Or else."

"Pity," Brenhin muttered as he turned back to Darcy's door. "She could've done more damage if I hadn't returned it in the first place."


	23. Revealed and Rightly Answered

Chapter 23: Revealed and Rightly Answered

Morning fell over the nine realms in their respective kingdoms and Asgard's sunrise saw the return of the firstborn son of Odin. Thor was welcomed by Heimdall in the usual fashion and Jane, clutched tightly at his side, nearly collapsed at the sight of the infinite sky behind him. The magic had been enough to return them both and Thor had decided it best to bring Jane with him and present her to his parents. He loved her more than any other creature he had ever encountered and could think of nothing more pressing than spending the rest of his life with her. Jane also insisted that with her input and careful insight that retrieving Darcy and getting her back to the university would be much easier. The two made their way through the gates leading into the city proper and Thor was stunned at the somber atmosphere. He furrowed his brow and grasped Jane's hand tightly. She glanced around anxiously at the rest of the citizens who all still seemed to be dressed as if they were living in the dark ages. Their downcast gazes and solemn expressions made her uneasy.

"Is it always like this?" she asked cautiously.

"No," Thor replied, equally frightened if not more. He gripped Mjolnir tighter with his other hand. "I fear something bad has happened." Jane looked up at him in concern. He caught sight of his three closest friends and Sif not far away. Even from this distance, Thor could see the difference in the dark hair cut from Sif's head. He felt his stomach sink at the sight and remembered the last time that there had been such an incident. Either Loki was at it again or someone had passed in his absence. He squeezed Jane's hand and quickened their pace. Jane frowned at the sight of another woman; a beautiful and obviously strong woman. She reminded herself firmly that she loved him and he loved her, convincing herself that nothing from home could deter that. Thor felt his heart begin to speed up just as much at the sight of the other warriors looking as unsettled as the rest of the citizens. They halted a few paces in front of him and bowed, saluting their returned prince with heavy expressions. "My friends, Sif, what is wrong? What happened?"

The four exchanged glances, none of them feeling they had the heart to tell him what had happened in the throne room or at the river's edge. Sif took a step forward, feeling it her duty alone in the moment. She bowed her head, holding back emotion as she spoke. "Thor . . . Loki is dead," she said flatly. Thor stared at her in disbelief. For a moment he contemplated the idea that this was some sort of cruel jest on her part. No; as much jealousy and cunning as she shared with her former lover, she did not share his sense of humor. He nearly dropped Mjolnir and felt Jane's expression shift instantly. She gasped and put her hand to her mouth at this news, looking up at him horrified. Before the warrior could ask what had caused this, Sif lowered her head all the more and spoke. "The All Father was wroth and Loki stood before him, the source of it. It was instant; the power of Gungnir is unmatched."

"He is not dead," Hogun repeated. Thor turned to him, gazing deeply into his old friend's eyes and believing him above the others not merely from trust in his accuracy. Fandral growled and took hold of Hogun's sleeve harshly.

"If you say that one more time I'll . . . " he snarled.

Hogun pushed his hand away furiously and turned back to Thor. "Odin was furious, but he is no murderer," Hogun stated firmly. "Your brother is fled from Asgard and cannot return under pain of death."

"Then he is sentenced, but not dead?" Thor asked, still clinging tightly to belief in Hogun's testimony. The others shook their heads in turn as Thor looked firmly at the grim warrior. Hogun nodded and gestured toward the palace as Fandral explained the rest of what had transpired with Frigga and Odin's decree. Jane grasped the side of her head.

"Oh God, what about Darcy?" she said fearfully. "What will happen to her?"

"She is safe," a new voice announced. All eyes turned and fell on the sight of a young girl, no older than six years of age, but seemingly ancient as well. Her hair was silvery white and glistened in the sunlight as it swirled around her pale face. Her eyes were white with a bluish hue, mirroring the ice that had protected her so many centuries before. Volstagg's heart leapt. There were few that knew about Drifa that were not in his family and this was how the All Father preferred it be kept. Drifa's limits were not known and part of the king feared that she might prove just as unstable as his son if others began to call on her too frequently for visions and answers. She stepped towards them, looking each over in turn before gazing directly at Jane. "Loki believes he has Jane Foster as a captive and will continue to believe it until Darcy Lewis can prove to him otherwise," she said calmly. Jane let out a small shriek and looked up at her beloved. Drifa smiled at Thor. "Your mother awaits your father's new decree, that none can be cast out of Asgard in the future and none shall face exile as it is the cruelest and most senseless of punishments." Thor felt a stab in his chest at this, remembering how awful it had been to hear those words from his father not long ago. Drifa turned to the other warriors and became a little more sullen. "Your friend is alive and under the tutelage of Eldred, the Master of Dark Forces. Until he has been freed from his service, he will be denied his proper place."

"This is all my fault. She should never have gone out there alone," Jane muttered, grasping her head more tightly. Thor pulled her closer to him as she sniffed away the urge to cry in both self pity and fear for her friend. She suddenly remembered the plan that she had formed and tossed aside before her beau had returned, when she still believed that she could contact him from earth. If this being standing a distance away from them was a wise-woman like the one Erik had spoken about from his childhood, then she might be able to help her contact Darcy and get a better understanding of how to rescue her. Drifa sensed this and gazed deeply into her brown eyes. "I have to talk to her; I need to know where she is and if she's okay."

"I will teach you to dreamfast when night falls," Drifa said. She looked past the group, a satisfied smile crossing her features. "First, the All Father awaits the presence of his son and finest warriors."

(*)

Brenhin paced back and forth in the hallway for a moment, glancing in through the door to Loki's quarters as the youth applied a healing salve to the two wounds from the barbs. The servant watched and made sure that the worst part of them had disappeared. Loki muttered angrily to himself about ending Eldred's arrogance and in humbling his brother's mortal mate. Brenhin frowned and shook his head, wondering if Loki would ever become what the better half of his bloodline had hoped for him. Long before Drifa had shown the trouble-maker visions of his past, Brenhin was well familiarized with Marya's name and her story. He had elected service to Eldred and a place close to Loki without being in servitude on purpose. While he had never revealed the boy's heritage to him, on principle and out of fear of the reaction, he knew more details than even the All Father about Loki's origin and what powers he would one day wield. There would be no holding back his heritage from the Alfskind once Tapio, Marya's father and the king of the elves in Alfsheim, knew that he was alive and able to reign in his place. Brenhin didn't believe that Loki was ready to take the throne in Alfsheim any more than he had been ready to rule Asgard, but it had made the servant wary about keeping this secret any longer after seeing the trickster use his power to further selfish gain. His desire had been previously to do nothing but prove himself to Odin and had turned entirely to making Thor suffer while subjugating the realm that his brother had come to love.

Brenhin knew that there was a chance that with the revelation of his true purpose that Loki might turn his attention solely toward the betterment of his mother's people; however, the more visible likelihood was that the revelation would only serve to further anger him and put earth once again in his path of rampage. Brenhin watched the young apprentice lie back on his bed and pull a coverlet over him, leaving his tunic off until the wounds had healed entirely. He hesitated in the doorway, the sight of the sleeping trickster an appealing one given that this was the only time he gave any semblance to the woman that birthed him. After a few seconds more, Brenhin breathed deeply and moved away from the door, closing it softly behind him and heading toward Darcy's quarters. He noted that the door was still ajar and that Darcy sat on the edge of her bed, staring down unhappily at her taser. He opened the door a little wider and gauged her expression. She looked over the device, frowning and shaking her head with a sigh every so often.

"It was no less than he deserved," Brenhin stated from the doorway. Darcy jumped as he spoke and turned to face him as she composed herself, smoothing a lock of hair away from her face. "You need feel no guilt about it."

"I guess knocking is optional for you people," she said unhappily. Brenhin gave her a less than pleasant look as she drew in a deep breath. "I don't feel bad about that . . . anymore," she said. He looked at the taser and then back at her in confusion. She held it up, frowning. "That was my last cartridge. I can't use this again unless I want to set something on fire, something or someone."

"I see," Brenhin remarked, folding his arms. "You haven't slept all night. Are you ill?"

"I just don't get it," she explained, hugging herself as she stared back at the servant. "One minute he's all super-villain, mad wizard and the next he's like a sad little kid and then the rest of the time he's kind of a decent person," she observed. "I've read a lot of things from the library that described him and none of them came close. He's supposed to be the founder of all mischief but he acts like the poster child for lithium. Did something happen that the books didn't talk about? I mean, I know he's adopted, but what about where he came from and why he hates Thor?"

"Jealousy for Thor's right to the throne prompts the anger in him, not hatred I don't think. If it came down to it, Loki would not want his brother to die because he still loves him and part of him still admires his brother's strength," Brenhin explained, moving further into the room. "As for what conflicts with his being a harmless trickster, blame that on yet another scheme blowing up in his face."

"When, how long has this been going on?" she asked, genuinely interested in the answer. Brenhin studied her features for a moment and grinned. This was not his brother's true love, but whoever she was there was compassion in her for his master's apprentice and he intended to nurture that. Her identity was likely someone close to the woman he had meant to take, but this kind of mistake was yet another example of the numerous flukes in Loki's schemes that didn't involve work alongside Asgardian heroes. Her name at the moment was unimportant; she wanted answers and Brenhin had a few to give that might make her a more suitable companion and better fit to approach him. He took a seat in the chair next to the window, turning to face her.

"Loki's father was Laufey, the king of the Jotuns, the Frost Giants. It is a part of himself that he truly hates and he went so far as to try and destroy their world in order to be free of his heritage," he explained. Darcy frowned, remembering the glimpse of his blue skin and red eyes; as twisted as that sounded it was an act that was planned by someone in terrible pain. Brenhin scratched his head, thinking about how best to explain the rest without revealing too much too soon. "His mother was Marya, a princess and a she-elf, the daughter of Tapio the King of Alfsheim, but she died shortly after his birth. Laufey had wanted a son by a she-elf to fulfill a prophecy that would place the son on the throne of Asgard, you see, and when he saw what the end result was, a smaller child with elfin features, he left both of them to die in the coldest part of their realm."

"So he didn't know anything about where he came from for a long time," Darcy realized aloud. "That must've been hard to hear."

"I imagine so," Brenhin replied. "It was only recently revealed. During Thor's exile Loki realized that he was not vulnerable to Jotun attacks for a reason and confronted Odin about it directly. It was what prompted him to act more assertively in keeping his brother away, I think. With news like that you can only imagine the desperation a son would feel about wanting to belong in a family after years of never fitting in with anyone else in the realm."

"Anyone?" Darcy exclaimed.

"Asgardians are large, fair haired, blue and brown eyed, and given to hasty decisions," Brenhin continued. "Loki was always slight, dark haired, green eyed, and preferred to think things through. Rather heartbreaking for him, as much planning as he puts into each and every scheme they just never seem to fit together properly for him in the end."

"So he must've known something was up when he didn't look like anyone else," Darcy said in confusion. "What about that made him this messed up?"

"Oh that began in childhood. Loki was a prince, but inferior in skills as a warrior and weak by comparison to his brother and his friends through his brother. I'm sure you read in that journal about the mockery and jeering at him for years," Brenhin added. Darcy remembered the words from the Journal and frowned. That would also explain a little more about the rivalry, but their exploits together would have cancelled at least some of that out. She shook her head and frowned. "His changing temper is merely a reflection of all that conflicts within him."

"Have you thought about teaching him to meditate or something?" she asked innocently.

Brenhin laughed a little at this and smiled. "The study of magic was an attempt on his parents' part to get him to find his niche and feel fulfilled," he explained. She nodded. "The agreement with Eldred came from a fascination for a darker form of illusionary magic. He had come to this realm accidentally, still in the phase of discovering all of his gifts as they revealed themselves during adolescence. It was a good thing that Eldred and I were here. I shudder to think of what sort of trouble he would have landed in arriving alone. A lindwurm would have eaten him whole within an hour."

"Lindwurm?" she asked.

"A type of dragon, vicious and willing to eat any flesh that crosses its path," he said. "They're in largest numbers here in Sylvanheim and the few that lived on earth are long dead from what I hear."

"Yeah, dragons and giants and elves and things must have died out a long, long time ago," Darcy said with a terrible disappointment in her voice. Brenhin found this terribly amusing and couldn't hide the amusement from her. She glanced at him in confusion.

"There are at least two giants, a few dragons, and many elves in your world. The elves of earth, the light elves some call them, are what keep your realm protected from despair. Magic nurtures hope and staves off utter desolation, after all," Brenhin remarked. Darcy's eyes widened at this.

"But if the elves from our world are called 'light elves' then wouldn't there be dark ones?" she asked.

He grinned more brightly. "The elves of Alfsheim are quite dark in appearance by comparison. Their hair, their eyes, and even their complexion are far darker than earth's. They are given to magic and the celestial worlds while yours are given to more terrestrial or elemental pursuits," he said. Darcy thought about this for a moment and all of the various portrayals she had seen. Loki's appearance did seem to fit a little more with something from Middle Earth than a frozen wasteland and with pointed ears he would certainly look the part of being a full-blooded elf. "I believe that knowing about them from studies and seeing no similarities in himself to their kind is a testimony to just how adamant Loki is about being a part of Asgard and the royal family."

"Can you blame him?" she asked. "No one wants to be lied to."

Brenhin straightened at this, seeing an opportunity to ask about the theory he now held. She had spoken the name she claimed to have aloud in her sleep several times, she had seemed oblivious to the mention of Thor's name, and she was far too intrigued with Loki to be tied that closely to his brother. He shifted and leaned more closely toward her. "Speaking of lies, I've been wanting to ask you about something terribly important," he said, allowing the grin to fade into a more serious expression. Darcy's eyes shifted and she turned toward the door as if summoned. She narrowed her eyes as Brenhin looked in the same direction. "What is it?"

"Didn't you hear that?" she asked. He shook his head and gazed back at her in bewilderment. She scratched her head and stood slowly. "I was sure I heard someone shouting."

"I heard nothing and believe me, I am attuned to the sounds of either Loki or Master Eldred shouting," he said. Before he could stop her, Darcy hurried out the door and headed down the hallway, following whatever she had heard. Brenhin groaned and hurried after her. "What do you think you're doing?" he whispered harshly. "You've already angered him plenty during the night!"

"I heard him shouting, I know I did," she whispered back, coming to a halt outside his door and listening carefully. She put up a hand to keep Brenhin back a distance as she pressed her ear against the door. "Something's wrong."

(*)

Loki had fallen into a deep slumber after being electrocuted. Having not been stripped of his immortal gifts the way that Thor had been, the taser had not completely incapacitated him, but the jostle of currents in his mind and body had created a stir in his subconscious. Images of what was transpiring in the rest of the realms and scenes of past adventures and failures began to present themselves only seconds after he had closed his eyes. He groaned and tried to fight his way back to consciousness, away from these nightmares. The violent sight of dispatching monsters, the vision of the warriors three and Sif mourning his loss at the river, a gory battle between a horde of Niffle trolls, his mother and father quarreling, and finally the memory of falling from the blast of the Bifrost and landing painfully on earth created a crushing psychic exhibit from which he felt there was no escape. He found himself looking up from earth's surface into the stars once more, feeling the pain that had met him in colliding with the solid terrain. Without warning, the ground beneath him gave way and he felt himself sinking into the dark, cold ground. He shouted desperately for help.

The images of the faces of his family and friends, fading from view, made him feel as though breath had left him entirely. The ground pulled him in more deeply, leaving no chance of drawing in even more breath. He screamed and clawed at the sandy soil around him finding his hands too weakened to do more than pull at the dirt and come back to him empty. As the ground closed up around his neck and then his head, he cried out for his brother, mother, and father one last time. The earth covered his vision and Loki knew that he was going to die in moments if not rescued. He felt a sudden rush of energy surge from his burning lungs and he drew in a sharp, full breath. His eyes snapped open as he realized that the descent into the earth itself had been part of the lurid and dreadful dream. He panted and clasped both hands over his head tightly. The dream had given him two disturbing visions . . . they were either of the present or near future and neither were worth contemplating. The sight of his friends mourning his death and the sounds of his mother and father shouting at one another were violently shoved to the back of his consciousness as he heard Eldred call for him. He growled. While it did infuriate him that the old man was summoning him this early in the morning, and after such an awful night, it was good to have a momentary distraction. He opened the door and frowned. There stood Darcy, pulling herself away from the door and staring back at him in trepidation.

He frowned and glared at her reproachfully. "What are you doing out here? I specifically told you to stay in your quarters! Do you enjoy the concept of punishment?"

Darcy looked at him in surprise and then frowned back, a combination of anger and sadness forming in her frustrated eyes. He felt something strange move through him as he noticed that tears were forming in her eyes. She drew in a sharp breath and seemed to glare at him. He felt a little taken aback by this reaction. "I-I-I thought I heard you," she stammered anxiously. After a few moments she frowned and narrowed her eyes at him, speaking in a low and heated tone. "I can't hear someone crying or shouting or in distress of any kind and just not do something to help them. I am not a cold-blooded creep." With the last few words she turned and, in an indignant huff, hurried back down the hall towards her assigned quarters.

Loki opened his mouth trying to think of something, anything to shout after her or justify himself at least to have somewhat of a say. He growled in frustration, balling his hands into fists and starting to pace furiously. How dare she speak to him like that or even entertain the idea that she would have the reason to be angry! After assaulting him she was lucky to still be alive and unharmed! He turned and summoned a great measure of energy from the charged air around him and formed an enormous fire-ball, thrusting it harshly into one of the tapestries. It enveloped the aged cloth in a flash and soon nothing but a few smoldering strands were left as ash slowly fell to the floor. He hadn't calculated the effect that the fireball would have on the hanging it was connected to which allowed it to catch him completely by surprise when it came toppling down on top of him in charred pieces of wood and a few warped segments of metal. It left a few more scratches on him and a large bruise on his forehead as he fell backwards, sitting flat on the floor. Once he caught his breath from the abrupt injury, he tilted back his head and shouted in rage. When he had finished releasing a portion of the pain he kept well contained he stood slowly and breathed deeply. He suddenly noticed Brenhin standing behind him. The servant stared back at the young sorcerer as angrily as Darcy had. Loki frowned and narrowed his eyes at the man.

"And what have you to say?" Loki demanded in a harsh whisper. Brenhin looked away and sighed. Another wave of anger washed over the immortal and he took a long stride toward the man. He was panting heavily and looking more frightened to Brenhin than intimidating. "Well? Do you have any chastisement to give or wisdom that I lack to bestow? Well? What have you to say?"

"She came to see why you were saddened . . ." Brenhin remarked, hesitating while allowing the thought to settle into Loki's mind past all of the hostility. He knew that Loki had stumbled instantly onto the notion when his expression dropped and his eyes softened. He turned away, feeling a renewed need to sob that he was successfully keeping away. Brenhin grinned inwardly knowing that this was the only time that the trickster would be receptive to any self-improvements. "She came to comfort you and she was pushed aside. Do you enjoy the concept of isolation, Loki? You seem to be doing your best to harm all those that do anything to try and eliminate any suffering you've been victim of. I pity you." At those words Loki's expression morphed back to angered for a brief moment the remorse and sadness still taking a great deal of precedence. He watched Brenhin turn to leave him alone as well. "For all of the mischief and malarkey that you concoct in your every waking moment, you cannot summon enough pleasantness to make yourself or anyone around you happy."

Brenhin disappeared before Loki could reply. He stood dumbfounded and furious, although presently most furious with himself. Brenhin was right, of course, at least for the moment. She had come to comfort him yet again. He hadn't needed it this time, but the thought that she felt concern for him was overwhelmingly wonderful. Yes, she cared for him and obviously quite deeply. He stood for a few seconds sorting through the mixture of emotions, thoughts, and plans to act while audibly deciding which should take primacy. He finally settled on a suitable outlay that gave meaningful order to the clearest of them and hurried to enact each and every one in sequence. Trauma was best replaced by achievement, after all. He hurried through the hallways almost too overwhelmed by the exaggerated joy he had heaped into his own concentration, joy at thinking about his brother's beloved turning her attention to him and exaggeration to mask anything that might disturb that. He made his way to Darcy's quarters, listening carefully as he went. She was still able to mask her inner thoughts and feelings from him which, while perplexing, intrigued him. Trying to understand her moods and motions would be a brilliant game. When he reached the door, he suddenly realized that Eldred had told him to report back immediately upon arriving. _The old weasel can wait_, he thought to himself. _This outweighs the orders of a decrepit sorcerer . . . my brother's beloved is falling in love with me. How perfect this will prove to be_!


	24. Threatened Yet Followed

_(((Sorry about the gap between chapters recently; I'm suffering from pleurisy right now. The next chapter gets even more tense and active. Now that someone else besides Eldred knows who she is, the deception won't last much longer and neither will Loki's initial plan.)))_

Chapter 24: Threatened Yet Followed

While Odin made a public decree that banishment cease to be a form of discipline in Asgard, Volstagg hurried to Frigga after hearing that she had summoned him. Frigga gave him a small pouch of stones and told him that there were nine stones representative of the nine realms proper, but when dropped to the ground all at once one could choose to arrive magically at not merely any of the nine, but also at any of the hidden realms that many of the other races had been forced to use in the war with Jotunheim. Volstagg had accepted the task of retrieving and returning Loki to his parents and resolved to ask Drifa where Loki was outright to make it as quick and painless as possible. In Sylvanheim, Brenhin had raced to see what Eldred wanted. The old sorcerer had been very unhappy to see his servant and not his apprentice darken his doorway and made his displeasure known physically (something that only happened when the old man was in a particularly foul mood and had been scoffed at one time too many by the youth). Brenhin promised to send word and see that Loki went to him at once, nursing the powerfully large burn on his arm and shoulder. As he made his way up the stairs and back towards the hallway where he had left the boy standing, he covered his forearm carefully with his sleeve and grunted in pain. Eldred had never raised a hand to Loki despite an overpowering desire to do so; instead, he aimed his wrath at Brenhin as was most convenient. Brenhin reminded himself that the pain was temporary and that Loki was not trying to deliberately cause him pain, it simply happened that all of his disrespect landed sharply on him instead.

Loki hesitated in front of the door to the girl's room. He raised a hand to knock, but withdrew it, unsure of what exactly to say. He didn't want to seem like a brutal tyrant like his brother and father, but he didn't want to show weakness especially after she had already comforted him once. Then again he had also on one occasion terribly wounded her, but she didn't appear to be terribly bothered by it since her fall. He frowned and drew in a breath, remembering what he had been told by his mother about approaching a scorned woman. He had never really had good practice in it and had done practically the opposite in dealing with Sif, now wondering if perhaps this was why she had rejected him. Eldred had stopped calling for him, so Brenhin had likely managed to distract him for a few moments. In truth, Brenhin had already made his way back up the stairs as Loki hovered in the hallway. The servant remained silent and watched from a distance, hoping that this meant the apprentice was going to prove that, despite a thirst to prove himself, a hunger for revenge, and a penchant for being strong and powerful, he was not a monster.

He cleared his throat and laid a hand on the door, glancing back and forth, still thinking of how best to apologize without actually apologizing. Darcy waited just inside the door, hearing that there was someone outside and it was likely him. She sighed and frowned. The incident in the middle of the night had confused and then terrified her. His moods were constantly changing and, despite the kindness he had shown her, it looked as though he would be the villain he claimed wanted to become. He could hear her breath and there were faint traces of fear in her sharp inhales, but a combination of anger fueled more by sadness swirled in her exhales. He thought for a moment that it would be worth any violent outburst from her to swiftly and efficiently take her for his own. It didn't seem as though she was all that enthused about returning to his brother anymore now that she had known just how powerful he could be and she wasn't likely to feel at home on earth having known the company of an immortal in a hidden realm. They waited silently one separated from the other by the door for a few moments more. Darcy frowned and looked away while Loki did the same, thinking about what he had seen in her. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, and intelligent in many ways, though Loki still wondered how with her innocent understanding she had managed to be considered at the forefront of human science. At the same time, Darcy thought about what she could say to prevent a heated confrontation or worse from him.

"I can't do this; not if I can't trust him," she whispered softly, "I just keep making him angry." Darcy was unaware that even her softest whisper could be detected by the innate and finely tuned senses of the trickster. He frowned and placed his hand, balled into a fist, on the door as he sighed heavily.

"It's not her fault you're upset; father is unreasonable, and a liar, and a feckless murderer," he whispered as well, hoping that she might hear this as well and know what he meant without having to fully approach the subject. He could hear her stir on the other side of the door, but she made no effort to open it. Still, she had clearly heard what he had said and if he could continue to utilize his natural gift of speech then perhaps he could remedy this situation quickly. He thought about the last time he had tried to use this gift, about the interruption from Thor. He felt anger beginning to burn in him and a glow forming around his voice. "All she has done, all she wants, is to be loved. That is why you had to step in, wasn't it? To spare her from the heartache of Thor's fickle affections, the way you could not spare Lady Sif."

Darcy narrowed her eyes. Did he think she had forgotten why she was there? She pulled open the door; a little unsettled that Loki was besmirching his brother's name for the sake of some petty squabble that all brothers experienced. The concept of such powerful figures fighting like siblings do made her wonder just how much damage the trickster would do just to stand his ground against his fraternal rival. Relief faded from him instantly at the sight of her gaze; yes, she had heard him and possibly believed him until the last sentence. _Damn_, he thought, _again I find the one human immune to perfect word craft_. She folded her arms. He thought quickly. _No, I won't let her believe she has any grasp the truth . . . that is the only way to win in a battle of wits between one so close one's own intellect_.

"You do realize that you told me from the get-go that you wanted to make your brother angry by taking his woman and making him watch, er, something like that," Darcy said, lifting one brow curiously. "Remember?"

"I never said I would do something so dishonorable," he corrected. Darcy continued to stare at him firmly. "I said that my ends are my secrets and that is part of what makes me superior to my brother," he remarked. Darcy stared at him in amazement. He had perfect memory, she gave him that much. He moved a step closer to her, exuding as much charisma with smooth motion and soft breath as possible. Her expression softened as he took the step and stood just inside the door. _Perfect_, he thought. _She may yet prove more useful than I had hoped. Particularly if she is incapable of false affection and that same affection is mine_. "I also said," he remarked, reaching down and taking her hand smoothly. Darcy thought for a moment about withdrawing it, but if letting him have a few moments to seem superior was what it took to get him to behave like a rational . . . whatever he was, then so be it. "That I would take good care of you."

"Enough of this," Brenhin announced from the hallway. The two turned and noted the sight of the servant, clutching his shoulder and glaring harshly at the trickster. Loki made one step toward him, prompting an even harsher gaze from the servant and halting the trickster almost as soon as he had moved. "You have been summoned by Eldred and he will wait no longer." Loki glanced at the servant's posture and knew immediately that Eldred had done him some sort of harm; something that had been happening more and more as of late, but had been terribly infrequent before then. Obviously Eldred was growing more resentful of Loki's independence, but didn't have the courage to take it out on his powerful apprentice. As he disappeared down the hallway and then toward Eldred's chambers Darcy locked eyes with Brenhin. She noticed the injury as well and started toward him. He grunted and moved backward, giving her a warning glare in the process. She looked at him in confusion. "I know that you are not Jane Foster," he said flatly. Blood drained from her face and she tried to form words to defend herself. "And I know that you have come to care for Loki to some degree, but understand that he has obligations to Master Eldred. The more of a distraction you become for him, the more angry Eldred becomes. If he gets angry enough . . . he will kill him." Darcy's heart sank and she felt nauseated at those words. Brenhin frowned and gripped his arm more tightly. She reached out once more as he withdrew and turned back towards the stairs. "Angered enough, he will kill you, too."

(*)

Loki entered Eldred's chambers, slamming the doors open as he strode inside. "You have penultimate power and you choose to wound a servant with it?" he demanded. Eldred glanced up from his cauldron, scowling at the boy. "Even as king of Asgard I didn't have arrogance to . . ."

"You are more than arrogant, Loki," Eldred interjected hotly. Loki froze and felt that the old sorcerer's anger was greater than it had been in years. It frightened him a little especially given that he had no recourse to return to Asgard at the moment and was relying most on Eldred's assistance. Eldred stepped away from the cauldron and walked slowly toward his apprentice. The sorcerer's gait and gaze told Loki that something was making the old man furious and that something was his fault. "I offer to share every spell, every incantation, and all of the dark theories I have gathered for centuries and shared with no one else, with you. I took you under my wing when all of the rest of Asgard openly laughed at you. I have asked the least of you of anyone, you ungrateful little brat. To record and review my work that is all I have ever asked of you with the exception of a few small tasks."

"Retrieving twenty rune stones from eight of the nine realms is not what I call a small task, Eldred!" Loki replied.

"And yet you managed to retrieve 19 in within five years total . . . before you were weakened by your incessant desire to please that pathetic excuse for a family," Eldred chastised. Loki growled softly at this. The mention of his family being the cause of anything, particularly something unpleasant in his wake, was infuriating and painful. He clenched both hands tightly, but made no other movements. Eldred sighed and shook his head, turning his back to the youth as he glanced over his shoulder. "I took you as my apprentice because I could see how powerful you would become. I ask so very little of you to facilitate a journey to greatness."

"I have given you years of service past what you have asked of me," Loki retorted.

"No you very well have not. You've neglected your duties, set off for months on a whim without so much as an explanation to your master, and now you refuse to obey my commands regarding that mortal you retrieved. You are beyond insubordinate and it is unfortunate that your apprenticeship was an agreement based upon completion and not on the fruition of any knowledge," Eldred shouted as he whirled around. Loki noted that he was panting heavily now, consumed with rage. "Your apprenticeship ends when you have completed the task I beset upon you; retrieving the rune Nauthiz, the last rune of power."

"I told you when I retrieved the others that it is impossible to locate. That vision weeks ago held no new information regarding its whereabouts," Loki replied, gesturing toward the cauldron. "The tesseract was useless in trying to find it!"

"I doubt very seriously that you looked in earnest as you cavorted about with that brute Thanos and those idiot humans," Eldred snarled. He turned and strode over to the bookcase, retrieving one of the larger volumes and tossing it to the younger with effortless ease. "Fortunately for you, I have discovered something important, something that will help us locate it so that you might secure your freedom from my instruction and go back to disappointing whoever else you choose to subjugate."

"Do not chide me, old man," Loki warned. Eldred scoffed at this and waved one hand, causing the book to fly open in front of his apprentice. Loki looked down at the pages and noted a passage next to a picture that he had seen years before. "The Norn Queen's eye, here on Sylvanheim?"

"It grants a vision, a perfect and clear vision to the one that fully learns to use its power," Eldred continued. "And I just happen to know how to use its power."

"This is a trinket not even Odin wanted in the vault. If it lies out in the forest then why haven't you gone to collect it before?"

"Even I know my limits and since your father banished me to this wasteland away from the nourishment of Asgard, I have grown weak and old," Eldred remarked. "As you have so kindly pointed out on no less than twelve occasions in the past month."

"I have no time for this nonsense," Loki muttered, tossing the book aside and turning away. He placed both hands on the door as Eldred straightened himself and spoke again.

"It would be a shame if something were to befall Frigga in her delicate state, particularly with one of her sons already to blame for it in the first place," Eldred said casually. Loki froze and felt his blood run cold at the thought of Frigga dying, but all the more at the notion that he would be blamed for it. Thor might have been able to forgive antics on earth and his father was angered enough at the moment, but if he were to at all be suspected of harming her, he could only imagine the kind of suffering he would have to endure. He turned slowly back to Eldred, eyes a faint shade of red from the emotions stirring in him. Eldred smirked at this and waved a hand again, causing the book to fly back into his own hand and settling on the desk in front of him. Loki breathed heavily and watched the old sorcerer calmly sit back behind the desk, flipping open the cover and glancing at the pages within. "I trust you won't be long in finding it."

"When I return it will be the end of my service to you," Loki said in a low tone, not wanting to provoke the sorcerer any further, but still wanting to assert himself. The threat against Frigga was a sobering thought to say the least. He hurried out of the chamber and up the stairs once more, hesitating in the walkway leading out into the primary room and thinking deeply about his last encounter with his parents. If only he hadn't said such a stupid thing to them, to deny her sacrifice. She had taken in a child not her own and even with all of the mockery from the court, the rejection from his father, he had always felt a sense of belonging in Frigga's presence. She was the source of all comfort and kindness in all the nine realms. He shook his head and called for Brenhin. He needed to venture out and retrieve this as quickly as possible. Perhaps if he could convince his father and brother to band with him against Eldred in defending the queen, then he could not only end this arrangement permanently, but also secure a place back in Asgard once and for all.

(*)

"I really don't think this a good idea," Brenhin said as he stared down at the large gold helmet. He held it out to Loki anxiously and watched the trickster gaze out into the forest beyond the fortress with similar apprehension. "Surely you have the power to see where it is, retrieve it, and then come straight back."

"I have already seen its whereabouts several times, Brenhin, it moves as though it had a mind and ambulation of its own," he replied in frustration, taking the helmet angrily in both hands and staring down at its shimmering surface. "If this is what it takes to finally be rid of this farce, then so be it."

"I suppose you'll be done with me too, then," Brenhin said indignantly.

"Don't start moping, it's embarrassing," Loki snapped back. He pulled on the head piece and straightened it, inwardly wishing that he had been blessed with something less impressive to wear in court. He turned and glared at Brenhin who seemed to be faltering back and forth between a saddened expression and false relief. "You're a servant to Eldred and that won't change in my absence."

"It will be one less tyrant to watch after and one less petty nincompoop to hasten to at all hours of the night and day," Brenhin added, handing him a large, polished black oak staff. With his last few words he smacked the trickster harshly on the back, the only permissible gesture of anger at the moment. "Not to mention the atmosphere will be exceedingly more stable without you mucking it up."

"Then be glad of the respite and let me finish this all the sooner," Loki hissed as he snatched the staff and looked over it. He frowned and held it back out toward Brenhin. "This is useless to me."

"Well it may not be as powerful as Gungnir, but it might do you some good to have something to use against any of the fauna out there. You didn't pay very close attention to any lessons regarding stump-sprites and lindwurms, after all," Brenhin remarked. "That will do since I . . ." Brenhin looked away trying to seem saddened yet again. ". . . since I won't be there to intervene."

"Oh for the heaven's sake," Loki said, walking hurriedly out the door and away from the servants' mumbling. "Watch after Jane and make sure she stays safely put. Eldred is in a foul temper and she is not likely to be as charming in his eyes."

"Oh yes, I'll just conjure some sort of matchless spell to keep her in one place, shall I?" Brenhin called after him. Loki said nothing as he moved swiftly on toward the forest. He fixed his gaze ahead, allowing his senses to drift and permeate the world around him. Brenhin watched in less than disappointment. "Keep her safely put? There is only safety away from Eldred or . . ." Brenhin said to himself as he hurried up the stairs thinking about how he would love to see the look on the young enchanter's face when the mortal appeared in the forest as well. "Or at your side." It didn't take more than a few seconds to explain to the girl what Loki was doing and exaggerate only slightly as to why it was absolutely necessary for her to make sure he didn't die in the process. It slipped Darcy's mind, of course, that Loki was a powerful creature with magic that surpassed even his master in truth, and that the trickster would be hindered having to watch after a mortal, but the feelings she now harbored for the erratic conjurer were stronger than reason. In a flash she had pulled on the jacket and cap she had been abducted in, stuffing the taser into one pocket, and flew past Brenhin in a nervous fit. Before she could breeze past him, he caught her by the sleeve and turned her to face him, looking firmly into her eyes. "I need to know . . . " he said. She looked at him in confusion. "Tell me your name."

"It's Darcy, Darcy Lewis I'm Jane's assistant," she replied. Brenhin tried to ask another question, but lost hold of her arm as she hurried out into the forest. "Thank you, Brenhin!" Brenhin watched from the entrance to the fortress as she stumbled out into the trees, disappearing with a few grunts of 'Ow' and shouts of 'I'm okay' in the process.

Brenhin folded his arms and grinned; terribly pleased with the mischief he had created himself. "Oh dear, I just couldn't seem to keep her in one place. What a shame." If this was anything close to what Loki felt when a plan began to unfold even in its infancy, then it was no wonder he was always up to something. The servant glanced up at the sun and then back out at the forest, certain that the two were well away from the fortress and within range of one another for the time being. "Oh well, other things to tend to."

(*)

Loki found himself in the middle of a clearing loathing his surroundings. It had been almost a disappointment to find out that his birth mother had been connected in any way to the feral world. He doubted it inwardly; he hated the forest, a setting as unpredictable as he was with subtle signs and customary metaphors that were either boring or beyond purposeful comprehension. He looked at the staff Brenhin had handed him and sneered at it. "Perfectly useless," he muttered as he tossed it off into the trees. Even with inferior strength to his brother he managed to heave the staff a good distance into the forest and heard it land with a 'thud' followed by exclamations and expletives. His eyes widened for a moment, listening to the sounds and then closed in frustration. "Oh . . . of course she followed you," he said aloud sarcastically. "One request, one single request and he does the opposite." He followed the direction of the sounds and halted a few feet away. The noises had ceased, but the underbrush shifted every few seconds. Clearly she was unaccustomed to stealth in the natural world as well. He sighed heavily. "I know you're out here, Jane, now stand up." There was no response. He growled and took another step forward. "Show yourself, now." There was still silence at this request. He frowned and reached down into the shrubs taking hold of a measure of cloth, still warm, and hoisting it up in front of him.

"I'm here to help," Darcy said defensively, clinging to the staff that had collided with her shoulder.

"Do you forget every moment you are not horribly mangled that you are a mortal and the safest place for you is out of the way?" he demanded as he set her harshly on the ground.

"Brenhin said you have to face the Norn Queen's Eye and that without a herald you'll be killed you where you stand, whatever a herald is," she replied. "I just can't let you do something like that alone."

"You don't know what a herald is? And you believed that obvious lie?" he exclaimed in exasperation. It was tiring how naïve such an intelligent mortal could be. She stared back at him in an unchanging expression of concern. He frowned and looked away, walking slowly back into the clearing. "This is ludicrous."

"I'll do whatever you need me to," she offered as she followed.

"I need you to go back where I don't have to keep you out of the jaws of a dragon or the stomach of a troll," he shouted back over his shoulder. "You'll do anything I ask?"

"Yes, of course I will," she offered excitedly.

"Then go back."

"Except that, anything else," she said as she came to stand beside him in the clearing. "Why do you have gold horns?"

"Wouldn't you rather know what I need from you?" he asked.

"Only if you're not going to tell me to go back," she replied.

He heaved a sigh and turned away, trying to get a clearer picture of the orb he was seeking and ignoring the girl's presence. "They are a symbol of power and magic," he replied. "This needs to end quickly. If I can find it before sundown . . . "

"Find what before sundown, what has to end?" she asked looking over the staff and enjoying the smooth, solid weapon in her hand. She grasped it, setting the end on the ground as if it was a natural walking stick.

"Just follow me and do as I say without question, do you understand?" he remarked.

"Sure, no problem. I am right here to help and make sure you don't get killed in the process," she said with pride. He shook his head and closed his eyes, feeling his way around the forest for the orb that was the Norn Queen's Eye. "So, are you going to be using elf power or giant power to find it?"

"Wonderful," he muttered to himself. Still, it would be better to have her here under his watch for the time being. If Eldred was brash enough to threaten Frigga after already being so harshly punished by Odin, then he would be willing to do just about anything to anyone.


	25. Of Deception and Envy

Chapter 25: Of Deception and Envy

Pepper Potts waited outside the office of her employer impatiently and unsure of whether or not the information she had to share was all that important. After a few seconds of anxious hesitation, she knocked on the door and waited for the answer. It was immediate and she didn't like the look of Tony Stark at the moment, having done without sleep in days after the ordeal with the other Avengers and still frustrated about replacing the damage Loki had done to his property. There was also the issue of still not being able to find the missing assistant that had belonged to Jane and then Jane taking off with Thor, something that disturbed and unsettled the hero more than it should have. Pepper appraised him silently a little more and he sensed it, allowing it only for a few seconds.

"What's up?" he asked as casually as possible.

"You asked me to bring you any updates we might have with the case on Darcy Lewis," she explained. He lifted one brow, signaling her to continue. She cleared her throat. "I have something to report . . . something very interesting."

(*)

"You don't like trees?" Darcy asked as they moved further into the forest. This had been revealed to her about Loki upon asking him if he could speak to the forest itself which he had emphatically stated that he could not and had no intention of learning to do so. He had power enough to manipulate natural forces; learning to speak with them was irrelevant. She frowned. "How can you have elf in you at all and not like trees? Even humans like trees, most of us."

"I suppose that is not a part of my newfound heritage I have explored to date," he replied. The idea of exploring it was intriguing, but then terrible as well. Elves might have had powers that surpassed humans and some Asgardians, but they also had strict rules and mandates that kept them within certain limitations, something that the trickster didn't imagine himself doing even in the best of circumstances. "Not that such things matter to you. If you love the natural world so much, why have you yet to learn any of their tongues and ways?"

"I'm a human, I can't really just up and learn to speak to trees," she said with a shrug. She gripped the staff as they continued to walk, taking in the sight of the towering woody guardians and their greenery.

He laughed in reply and shook his head. "Mortals. You really don't see any possibilities farther than what has already been done by others before you, do you?" he asked with a tone of mockery surpassing the meaning of being amused. She glared at him hotly, but said nothing. "If you wanted to learn their tongues and ways, you would do it the same way you would learn from your fellow humans . . . observation and careful listening."

"You have an awful lot of faith in a race that you tried to take over; you know that, right?" she remarked with similar tone and meaning. "Communicating with plants like that is something superhuman or magical or something." He grinned.

"It's simple fact; to learn one must watch and hear, there's nothing superhuman or magical about it," he said, reaching out and taking hold of her wrist as they walked up a particularly steep place in the forest floor and descended more quickly than she would have liked. The hold he had on her wrist made it more difficult for her to fall and she drank in the feel of his protective grasp as they made it to the bottom and continued walking. Out of habit, he continued to hold tightly to her for several minutes after they had reached the level ground once more. He suddenly sensed that her heart was beating rapidly and powerfully. He turned and noted that her colour was exceptionally brilliant now and that her gaze was affixed on his hand clasping her wrist and she was smiling at it. He gave her a confused look, but smiled in return. "Is there something in particular that amuses you so fully, or am I that diverting?"

She shook herself and looked back up at him. "Uh, it's . . . the forest and stuff. I used to go on all sorts of camping trips and hiking with my mom and dad while they were alive. I still feel like they're with me when I'm out in a place like this. Then my Aunt Elloise started taking care of me and we couldn't go as often, but when we did it was always amazing," she said now turning her gaze upward and all around at the canopy and its respective comings and goings. Several animals skittered in and out of the branches, some into well made nests and some into little homes carved into the trees. He looked at her a little more closely.

"Your parents are no longer living?" he asked. She turned and nodded looking as unfazed and calm as ever. He grew a little more somber at this realization and stopped moving. "How, may I ask?"

"Well, my dad was an environmental zoologist and mom was a photographer. I wasn't there when it happened, but I was told that mom got attacked by an animal and was killed really quickly. Dad found her and blamed himself for her death so . . . uh . . . he . . . killed himself," she replied dropping both arms at her sides as she finished the description. He stared back at her in horror. As devastating as it had been to discover that his parents had lied to him for years, he couldn't imagine one of them dying let alone choosing to die by their own hand. She shrugged again, clearly having learned to do this in order to push away unwanted emotions. "I went to live with Aunt Elle and that was a good thing; she never had any other children so it was like I was the opportunity she got to have one."

"I . . ." he began, unsure of what to say after beginning the sentence. He sighed and looked more deeply into her face. "I am truly sorry for your loss."

"Why? You didn't know them. Besides, they're together, so they're alright I think," she said moving past him slowly. "And both of them were human, remember?"

He frowned and looked at her unhappily. "You find me incapable of compassion," he observed almost coldly. She turned and smirked at him, leaning back against one of the trees. "And yet you followed."

She laughed and shook her head. "I followed you to keep you from getting your face eaten off by whatever's out there," she replied. "And I don't think your incapable of compassion, I just don't think you've had a lot of practice with it."

"That's quite an observation coming from a woman who spends most of her life away from the rest of her kind," he retorted indignantly. Darcy felt stunned and hurt by that remark not merely for herself, but on Jane's behalf as well. After all, these opinions were based upon her life and actions, not Darcy's.

"For your information, science requires interaction. I am never alone for very long. I have plenty of friends and colleagues to confer with," she said proudly. He turned and lifted one brow inquisitively and with a measure of admiration for her assertiveness. Darcy thought more carefully about this, about the pretense. She remembered Brenhin's revelation and the question she had been asked before leaving. Did Loki already know? No, he would have revealed that by now certainly. Still, she couldn't be sure that she could keep it from him much longer if the servant knew. She drew in a deep breath and continued walking after him silently for a few moments. Neither wanted to break the silence for the time being and Darcy wondered if he had been able to read her mind. He seemed to be talented with gifts in the mind, but she couldn't be sure if psychic powers were in there as well. She bit her lip and found herself feeling anxious for the first time in the presence of the safety of the forest and the beautiful creatures within. After several more minutes of silence, she drew in a deep breath and spoke. "I wanted to ask you something," she remarked. He glanced over his shoulder at her momentarily, but said nothing. "You do a lot of magic and stuff; has anyone ever been able to surprise you?"

"Only through deception," he said remembering the world-shattering moments in which his origin had been revealed. The notion was not altogether foreign to him and he had suspected that there had been something strange about his birth when he had been unable to keep up with his brother, but it had always been attributed to some sort of spell or curse in his mind. Even the thought of being cursed surpassed being kept as a tolerated prisoner all of his years in Asgard. It occurred to him also that he was again showing weakness and the girl was effortlessly looking for it in him. He shook his head. "Deception is short lived in my presence," he lied and turned, scowling at her momentarily. The scowl faded into a grin as he continued, "Except when I create it, of course."

"That's not really something to be proud of," Darcy commented having sensed the sudden shift in his mood and thoughts yet again. The notion of him being so unsettled by someone else deceiving him was frightening; this had only been a mere mention of it and the reaction was sharp.

"Of course it is. Mischief and chaos are nothing without it," he added, turning and continuing their path to the left. Darcy sighed and followed.

"Well, I'm not sure mischief is your thing. I know what the book in the library said, but I haven't seen much of that since I've been around you. In fact, if I wrote a book right now, I'd have you pegged as the 'God of Emotions' more than anything," she replied. He suddenly materialized in front of her causing her to stumble backwards a pace.

"How dare you impugn my reputation, it is hard earned and well deserved," he said loudly.

"What? It's not my fault you're off your game," she said defensively. "You just haven't really done anything to live up to it in the past few weeks. You've done plenty of creepy, mean, and angry stuff but nothing mischievous."

"And I suppose you have criteria that would fit the description and anything else is inadequate?" he said indignantly.

She folded her arms and looked back at him. "Well, only what I read about you. I mean, when was the last time you actually turned yourself into something else? That's one of your more famous traits, right? Being a shape-shifter or something," she remarked.

"I became a number of creatures in this very forest, including my brother, that you assaulted, thank you," he replied.

Darcy shook her head and then suddenly remembered the odd number of animals that had approached her when she had been trying to find a way out her first few hours in the realm. She remembered thinking that it was odd so many of them had similar colours to them. Her eyes widened in realization. "That was you? The rabbit, the badger, the fox, and the snake; they were all you?" He turned and smirked. The memory of being terrified by the snake and the badger, as well as numerous insects that may or may not have been him suddenly came to her. She raced up and exclaimed in disgust. "Snakes are the worst! Why would you even do that?"

He whirled around. "The snake is one of the creator's most noble and charming subjects. They are lovely and loyal when well appreciated and there are more people that find them so than those like you that seem to be repulsed by natural grace," he said hotly. She stared back at him and then looked away, though not in regret of having said anything. The look he was reading seemed to be in amusement of something, something he was finding a little irritating at the moment. "What?"

"Dude, I'm sorry, I just can't keep talking to you seriously with those horns on. They make you look like a priest for some East Malibu celebrity cult," she confessed.

He reached up and instantly pulled the helmet off, willing it back to the fortress and then waiting for her response. She simply stared back in amazement at the gesture. He couldn't be sure if the amazement was for the spell and not for his form instead. "Happy now?" he asked.

"Can you take anything else off?" she asked playfully. He gave her another look of bewilderment and then turned, walking in the same direction. "What?" she called after him, hurrying to keep up. "It's a legitimate question!"

(*)

In Asgard there had been yet another upheaval, this one again involving the royal family. Thor walked angrily out of his father's throne room clasping Jane's hand tightly. Jane was still in shock and found herself wondering what had just happened. The only thing holding her in place was her beloved and she felt as if she might float away from the strange realm itself if she hadn't been holding onto his hand so tightly. Thor recounted his father's rejection of a mortal bride once more. While this hadn't been a public announcement by either of them, it disturbed the young immortal to hear his father put any restraint on who he could take to his side. It infuriated him all the more to hear his father offer suggestions as to who was worthy of his son. He turned back and glanced at Jane's expression. She didn't seem hopelessly damaged by the private turmoil, but she was lost in thought about something. He sighed and looked up at the sky. If only he could traverse the nine realms as fluidly as his brother. As the two stood contemplating their own conflicts inwardly, Thor, for the first time in centuries, thoroughly envied Loki.

(*)

On Sylvanheim, Loki had adjusted their path twice, sensing the orb's power growing all the stronger and that it was primarily staying in one place for now. The ease that this brought allowed his temperament to shift back to a more eased confidence than before and Darcy found herself enjoying the trickster's buoyancy. The two had conversed for the better part of two hours with Darcy discovering the best way to handle his presence was to let him do the majority of the talking. He seemed pacified by the sound of his own voice and she hoped he would be exhausted with exercising such a command of the vernacular. She listened intently to the story of his first encounter with the gift of transformation and the days that followed. It was unlike anything she had read in any of the books to date and it was incredible. The humor and fear made it real, more real than perhaps what was happening now. Ever few moments Loki seemed to be searching her eyes for something. She was beginning to think that he knew exactly who she was, but liked the game that pretense brought. She decided after the two hour mark to continue the game until playing became something else. In the past hours Loki had through story proven his reputation, but Darcy continued stating that what had happened in the past had little relevance to the present version of himself that was definitely more austere.

"And how would you have me, then?" he finally remarked in full exasperation.

"I don't know, less authoritarian and more fun, I guess," she replied. He gave her a side glance and she sighed. "Look, you're supposed to be the 'God of Mischief' and the only thing you can think about lately is suffering and revenge." Darcy used both hands to physically put the appropriate symbolic apostrophes around his title. He watched this in utter delight. She was consumed in thought about him; nothing was more satisfying. "Did you even play as a kid or was it all learning how to make other people do what you wanted?"

"I was adept at many things even childhood," he said defensively. "I had obligations, but diversions were not forbidden. Even before discovering my natural talent I had a gift at both disappearing and finding things that had disappeared."

"You're talking about hide and seek, right?" she asked with a renewed enthusiasm at discerning the familiar.

"I'm not entirely sure what that it is, but I could hide for hours from my brother and his friends but they could not easily hide from me," he replied. She grinned.

"Okay, so if I were to hide somewhere in the forest . . . "

"You are mortal and far less able to hide than anything in this forest," he interjected quickly. "Not to mention that as a prisoner you shouldn't be trusted."

"Oh come on, there's plenty of time before the sun goes down!" she pleaded. He narrowed his gaze at her. She sighed. "I promise I'm not going to go running off, I'm just going to see how long it takes you to figure out where I am."

"If it will satisfy your accusations against what I am worthy of being called, then so be it. It won't take long to find you when you can't even follow me for very long without making noise," he said. "But I warn you that even at this distance from the fortress, any attempt to flee will be punished, severely."

"Fine, whatever, just turn away," she said excitedly. He shook his head and took the staff from her hand, setting it against one of the trees as he turned away from her. She hurried in the opposite direction and then froze, calling over her shoulder. "Count to fifty."

"What for?" he asked in confusion.

"It's just one of the rules I grew up with, do it," she explained. It felt a little empowering and thrilling to be giving an order to him in some small way. As she heard him counting aloud she climbed over several fallen limbs and waited for him to finish, hiding behind a few distant trees while still keeping a good look at him. She grinned as he finished and stood silently, scanning the clearing around him. He finally moved toward a set of thicker trees and bushes in the same direction. Darcy quickly ducked behind another tree, larger and fallen, then knelt as she peeked over the edge. He was still looking behind the other set of bushes for her. She grinned and knelt, readying herself to get a good running start. She breathed deeply and hurried forward. Before she could surprise the trickster, he appeared out of nowhere to her left. Darcy was shocked to see that he was also still looking through the bushes for her as well as taking hold of her and dropping to the ground. She gasped and turned to face him. He grinned brightly and forced her up against a tree pinning both her wrists against the trunk as he stared down into her trembling eyes. "What . . . how . . . but you're . . . ," she stammered. He chuckled and looked back at the other figure and nodded to it. It vaporized instantly before he turned back to her. "Amazing! You can literally be in two places at once!"

"More than that," he replied. "I can be in hundreds of places at one time."

"Doesn't that get tiring?" she asked trying to free one of her wrists from his grasp. To her surprise he was gripping her as tightly as he did the day he had captured her. She frowned and looked at him. "What is it?"

"You tried to flee," he remarked, taking both of her hands in one of his and pinning them above her head as he leaned down more closely. "I believe I told you all attempts to flee were severely punishable."

Darcy's eyes widened in terror. He was prone to sudden shifts in demeanor and there was no telling when he might suddenly become violent or angered. He reached down with his other hand and gently cradled the edge of her jaw with the tips of his fingers. He looked deeply into her green eyes, penetrating the fear surging on the surface. He softly stroked the side of her face, reveling in the softness and warmth of her skin against his own. It had taken everything within him to restrain himself under the illusion that this was his brother's love interest. She had slipped into the soft and tender portion of his otherwise scarred and unyielding heart; he was grateful for each moment with her even as she deceived him. He leaned down and hovered a few inches away from her lips. Darcy felt her chest fluttering and hoped that if and when they kissed she wouldn't have a cardiac episode. He drew in an even deeper breath and pulled his face back, still looking down into her eyes with more than intrigue. "What do you think is fitting for your crime?"

"Well, I didn't actually intend to run off, so I guess you could classify that as both an escape attempt and deception," she said suggestively. He closed his eyes for a moment trying again to restrain himself for her sake at the moment. She wasn't ready to lie with him and he wasn't sure that lying with a human was safe in the first place. Still, the fact remained that he desired her more than anything he had wanted in the past. Darcy leaned forward, trying to push her face closer to his. "So I think this will set the precedent for any future combination infractions, I guess."

"Then this will set the precedent for many things," he said leaning down once more and this time allowing their lips to touch ever so slightly. He heard the girl's breathing and pulse increase dramatically. Her heartbeat thundered in his ears like ceremonial drums. He quickly pulled back as he felt his own heart racing. As lovely as many of the maidens in Asgard had been, they paled in comparison to the one standing in front of him. He softly reached behind her and grasped a lock of her dark, swirling hair. It was soft and magnificent. The scent floated up to him in an intoxicating wave. He sighed and leaned down, kissing her passionately. Darcy shifted under him, pressing her lips more fully into his own. He moaned happily at the softness, warmth, and astonishing palpitations moving through both of them. He could only compare this sensation to what had surrounded him in his fall to Midgard. Darcy had little other comparison than a sharp, downward dive on a roller coaster. The two breathed into one another until the moon's pull on the tides of all realms relaxed their desire and allowed them to part. They stared at one another longingly and happily, satisfied with the closeness and aching for more all at once. "Have you learned anything, then?"

Darcy breathed deeply and tried to get her head to stop spinning for a few minutes. She smiled. "I think I have," she said softly. "But I don't feel any different. If I get the chance I might just do it again," she said with an even more suggestive tone. "Especially if that's what I can expect in return."

"Then I should devise something else to deter you," he replied. She bit her lip coyly and looked away. Neither of the two was very experienced with the opposite gender, but their exploration was going tremendously more smoothly than either had imagined any encounter going. He smiled brightly and reached down to her side. Darcy tried to shift herself and free both her hands to wrap tightly around him. Before she could move he suddenly began tickling her side. She gasped and giggled, twisting and squirming happily as his fingers softly teased her, tickling up and down her left side.

"Stop, please, stop!" she laughed as she tried to get free.

"Oh no, you've earned this," he said mischievously. She squealed as his hand wandered medially, tickling her midsection with tender precision. Darcy composed all of her strength and playfulness, managing to free one hand and return the gesture. Aiming for the mirrored area on the trickster, she tickled him with slightly more gusto and significantly more affection. She achieved almost immediate retribution, catching him completely off guard as she tickled him playfully under a rib. The two collapsed, laughing on the forest floor one on top of the other as they had been standing. Both ceased simultaneously as they tried to catch their breath. The sight of one seemed to captivate the other and they remained still and silent for a few brief moments. Darcy sighed and reached up, gently stroking the side of his face with a fondness he had only dreamt of. He closed his eyes for a moment and placed his hand against hers, grinning brightly at the tenderness in her features. "That's more the desired effect," he replied, leaning in to kiss her once more. Darcy gathered all the strength she could, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders as they embraced and lay upon one another. This time there was no hesitation as they drew their faces close and softly joined their lips to one another. Loki then realized that he was just as consumed in thought about her as she was in him and together they forgot Thor for one another's company. It was magnificent to touch and feel the presence of something so frail and foreign; mortals clearly had a magic of their own and it felt indescribable against his own. He deepened their kiss as breath and longing passed between their spirits. They shifted and slumped into one another's strength and aspiration. Loki marveled at how wonderfully matched he was with this mortal. The Norn Queen herself could not have devised a more perfect match if she had written down everything Loki sought in a woman and conceived the creature herself. Darcy felt equally awestruck and elated that she had been introduced to the trickster. Even with all of the harsh words and cruel intentions he had once had for her, she was desperately in love with him.

A loud crash interrupted the silence and satisfaction. Darcy turned instinctively and the two sat bolt upright at the sound. Loki pulled her behind him defensively and Darcy saw a glimpse of the innate hero he had suppressed for many years. He stood slowly as she did the same and the sound of heavy footsteps and growling mingled with roaring filled the forest. Darcy's expression fell and she felt the heart that had moments before been leaping for joy suddenly summersault in fear. Loki held out one hand and summoned the staff to him, clutching it and looking back at the girl. "Stay here," he said firmly.

"What is that?" she asked in a hoarse whisper.

"I can't be sure without seeing it," he said as he moved cautiously forward and away from her. "But it sounds like a Lindwurm."


	26. Strike of the Lindwurm and Darcy's Hand

Chapter 26: Strike of the Lindwurm and Darcy's Hand

The forest floor trembled momentarily as Loki advanced toward the sound of the creature that had disturbed them. He clutched the staff in one hand and summoned his helmet once more, placing it back on his head as he listened carefully for whatever it was. His nostrils flared as he smelled burnt sulfur and brass; a dragon. The majority of dragons on Sylvanheim were lindwurms and they were an unpleasant race. In his studies Loki had seen only drawings of the bipedal brutes. Unlike their relatives on earth, wyverns, lindwurms had no wings and only front legs with a powerful tail that was longer than any other beast. He listened carefully and knelt, readying to dodge the creature's natural prehensile weapon once it made itself known. The Norn Queen's Eye seemed closer than ever, but there would be no going after it if a Lindwurm was alive in the area. He heard labored breathing and growling drawing closer, but the ground no longer shook with the weight of a walking lindwurm; either it was standing still and distinguishing the intruders, or it was slithering. The thought of it slithering made the trickster shudder. Slithering lindwurms were hunting prey and nothing else.

"Where are you?" Loki whispered. In the distance, he could hear Darcy's breathing and rapid pulse at a safe distance behind him. He felt relief at the notion that she was occupied with fear for the time being. He turned and watched the distant form of the girl pensively waiting for him to finish with the creature. Her eyes glistened behind the glass spectacles over them and her dark hair haloed her pale features like the night sky cloaking the moon. He smiled. As soon as he was done with the creature he knew what his next course of action had to be; he had to have her. He drew in a deep breath and slowly exhaled as he turned back in the direction of the noise. His expression fell as his eyes rested on the huge face of an angry grey lindwurm. It snarled and twisted, thrusting its tail into the air and bringing it down heavily where the trickster stood. Loki closed his eyes and willed himself to appear behind the creature while leaving an illusion of himself still standing in his place. He watched as the creature's tail came down and the illusion of him flew up into the air. To make the creature all the more convinced that it had made an efficient attack, the trickster allowed the vision to be propelled off to the side with its helmet and staff flying off in different directions. It was an impressive display and Loki found himself thinking that in any other circumstance the creature would have been fun to play with for a few hours. It snarled and snapped its jaws menacingly at the apparition. Darcy let out a scream as the creature reared back with one limb and slammed it into the illusion. Loki allowed the artifice to continue to seem real, flying into one of the trees and falling limply to the ground. As planned, the lindwurm hurried after it, hovering over it and snarling hungrily. He watched and leapt forward, cloaking himself as he perched above the brute and readied to attack.

"You cretin!" Darcy shouted. To the trickster's chagrin, he saw the girl race forward and boldly made her way to where the false impression of him lay unconscious. He frowned. Why did she have to pick now to display this kind of courage? "Take that!" As she shouted, she took hold of her taser and pressed down hard on the trigger, aiming for the nearest portion of flesh. She moved forward as the creature turned, the two met one another and the electricity that surged through the lindwurm's nerves caused it to twitch uncontrollably, but did not allow it to move away from the assault. It roared in agony, its eyes rolling back reflexively. Darcy pulled the taser away and hurried over to what she thought was Loki, kneeling beside him. "Oh no!"

The trickster leapt down from his perch, landing in front of the lindwurm's face as it came to rest several feet away. It was gathering its strength and he knew that he had precious few minutes to dispatch it. His senses tingled as he realized that the Norn Queen's Eye was incredibly close, perhaps somewhere hidden in a creature's nest. He shook that thought away and lunged forward. The lindwurm's eyes sparkled, flashed with evil, and the beast hurled its tail at the trickster once more. Caught a little off guard, Loki felt the heavy bludgeon slam into his chest, throwing him backwards and through two trees before he landed firmly against a boulder. It didn't damage him as much as landing on earth through the cloud of magic had, but it was painful enough. The splintering trees caught Darcy's attention and she looked back where Loki had been lying. She gasped at realizing that he was no longer there. She turned and noticed that he had somehow made it yards away and he slumped to the ground after colliding with the boulder. She rose and raced toward him, still keeping hold of the taser as she moved. Loki felt his vision clear and strength return to his extremities. He suddenly saw Darcy running toward him. His heart leapt and then sank once more as the lindwurm slithered back in front of him and quickly turned to face Darcy. She gasped and realized too late that she had put herself directly in harm's way and that there would be little the trickster could do to help at the moment. Without a warning, the creature opened its mouth and struck the ground with its head, snapping its jaws over the girl.

"Noooooooooo!" Loki screamed, reaching out in vain as the lindwurm's mouth covered the girl and it pulled its head backward. Darcy was gone.

(*)

Eldred stared down into his cauldron, delighted that this mongrel had done its job well so far. With the exception of few things, Loki was not easily distracted and this mortal had proven to be more than distracting. Eldred had overlooked this for a short time, but he had come to realize over the past few hours that her influence was bringing out everything the sorcerer had hoped to banish in his apprentice. He had worked hard to pollute the trickster's mind, turning every ounce of dejection and doubt into utter darkness. Eldred had hoped to banish any good that still remained in the trickster by this time and the little whelp clung to something pure in pursuing the girl, something that had to be stopped at once. He reached a hand into the cauldron, seeking what was within the dragon's mouth and allowed his fingers to brush against its presence. He could feel a thready heartbeat and panic, the girl was consumed and all that was left was to let the trickster attack it and release that last part of decency in murder.

Brenhin watched silently from the doorway, a hand against the facing as he used what little magic he had to see what Eldred was seeing. His stomach tumbled inside him and his mind spun furiously at the thought of Darcy being so terribly harmed and Loki being so manipulated. His breath shuddered as he tried to think of anything he could do to help. He felt a chill move through the air and realized that he was now suspended in time. He recognized the feeling as it had happened only once before, shortly before he had decided to take up residence with Eldred as his servant. He turned quickly and saw the familiar form of the small, pale Oracle. Her enormous white eyes stared back at him blankly. Aside from Odin and Volstagg, the Asgardians that knew her believed that she was blind; an assessment they made upon seeing she had no colour or pupils. Brenhin and the other two knew better, they knew that she could see more than even those with perfect vision. She stared back at him silently and then slowly held something in front of him.

"It would have told him about you, about who you really were for Marya and who you are to him," Drifa said, holding one of the crystals aloft. It shimmered as clear and white as the girl's presence itself, radiating with cold. He frowned and looked away. "I will let you choose how it's power should be distributed."

"If she dies, he will have no reason to fight it any longer . . . evil will consume him," Brenhin reasoned.

"_**When**_ she dies," Drifa corrected. Brenhin's heart froze at those words and he felt tears form in his eyes. "Loki's fate has already been written. The girl is his last connection to anything good. When she dies, he will fall."

Brenhin's mind continued to spin madly. If what Drifa said was true, and it always was, then regardless of what happened now Loki would still become what his mother and her people had tried to flee. The damage that Eldred had done and the darkness that the trickster had allowed to take him would be the essence of his being in the future. Brenhin's eyes darted from side to side. The trickster was supposed to have been fated to fight against the forces of good at Ragnarok, something that Brenhin had feared since it had first been revealed to him. He looked at the crystal and contemplated the worth of a few more years under the illusion of a noble trouble maker before he fully became an evil creature. Drifa allowed the crystal to fall into her palm as she held it out to him. "If he falls now, Eldred will see that chaos overpowers the All-Father," Brenhin rationalized. He reached out and took the crystal. "What do I do with it?"

"Whatever you will, but it will need to be quickly," she replied. "The girl cannot see very well in the beast's mouth, but you can see . . . with more than your eyes alone."

Brenhin nodded, realizing that he had been instructed indirectly. He clutched the crystal. "I could not save Marya," he muttered.

"After Laufey's wound, not even Odin could save Marya," Drifa said firmly before disappearing.

Brenhin sighed heavily and watched the crystal melt into his hand. For the first time in years, he felt magic flowing through him. It radiated through his hand and then back into his chest until he felt it reach his head. He felt the suspension pass and the world returned to its natural position in time. He placed the hand that had held the crystal back on the door facing and breathed deeply. Eldred continued to submerge his hand in the cauldron, his dark eyes glistening with malicious joy as he saw Loki attack the lindwurm. It struck him fully with the other limb and bellowed triumphantly, watching the trickster fly back into the boulder. Brenhin summoned the magic the crystal had given him and concentrated on the beast as well as its captive. He felt Darcy's racing heart and made his way comfortably into her mind. He opened his eyes, willing her to do the same and offered them the light pouring through the windows of the fortress, casting an odd clarity around the beast's mouth.

(*)

Darcy gasped as she realized she could see almost perfectly and then began to feel numb as she realized exactly where she was. A fleshy wall protruding within the dragon's mouth had caught her and she could tell that it was still upright for the time being. Her back was pressed against the warm, wet wall and she gagged presently at the foul smell surrounding its teeth. Brenhin compelled her to move towards the center of its tongue which would urge the brute to open his mouth for her. Still having her own presence of mind, Darcy realized that there was someone else giving her directions and she couldn't be sure who. She hesitated, wondering if this was a friend or foe. Brenhin continued to urge her forward and Darcy's mortal limitations forced her to follow the instructions instantly. She pulled free of the slimy mass and then jumped as forcefully as she could onto the center of the dragon's tongue. It hissed and opened its mouth instinctively. Before Darcy could leap out, as she had desired to do, a small glimmering object caught her attention. She noted that in the other mass of flesh opposite where she had been caught, was a blue-green crystal ball, perfectly shaped. She grunted and drew in all her strength, hurling herself toward the other side of its mouth as she reached for the ball. Nothing that was so perfectly formed or lovely could be unimportant. She groaned and gagged again at the mound of sticky saliva covering the ball, not visible from a distance, and shoved it into her jacket pocket. It barely fit, but it did give her time to leap back onto the center of the dragon's tongue yet again. She froze, realizing that she wasn't hearing the instruction in the back of her mind any longer. _Don't panic, it was instinct_, she told herself. _Just hurry up and jump out_. Darcy fought the natural urge to not leap from an undetermined height as best she could and then raced forward.

Loki had lost track of the black oak staff and instead decided to summon the Casket of Ancient Winters. If the beast had swallowed his beloved, then it would be easiest to retrieve her still salvageable from a corpse . . . a chilled corpse. He felt his form changing, his skin turning its birthly blue and eyes flashing a deep crimson. He could even feel the ridges of the natural markings of the Jotuns forming over his face and hands. He glanced down momentarily; unsettled by the glimpse he had of his own form. It would have halted him entirely to see the full testimony to his father's blood, but thankfully he was unable to detect the entirety of the changes as he summoned a blast of ice. The creature opened its mouth, snarling, and Loki watched in amazement as Darcy not only leapt from the center of its tongue. No sooner had she jumped forward, then she realized that she was several stories above the ground. She screamed and reached out, taking hold of the edge of its scaly lip as best she could. She panted desperately, glancing down and then squeezing her eyes closed, praying silently that somehow she would miraculously make it to the ground safely.

"Jane! Jane, hold on!" he shouted. The creature roared once again causing Darcy to cringe and slip a little from her hold. Loki stepped backward, sending the casket away for a moment, and glanced from side to side before turning back to lindwurm. It growled and narrowed its eyes, deciding which would be better to attack. Before it could decide, the trickster leapt upward and propelled himself through the air in an arc across the creature's face. He caught Darcy fully in his arms and then carefully landed a few yards away, setting her down. She trembled and looked back at him in shock. "Stay here," he said firmly. Darcy stammered incoherently for a moment and watched him leap back into the air, landing on the creature's long neck in the process. It roared, and lifted its head high into the air and recoiling its tail around its legs. He waited a beat, summoning the casket once more and instantly summoned as much of it as he could to create an enormous dagger of ice. He drew in a breath once more, pulling the ice upward and then slamming it down into the beast's throat. It roared yet again, the raucous fading into a gurgle as blood surged to the wound. It reeled and began to fall as Loki leapt from it once more and landed deftly beside the girl, still trembling and watching the dragon fall to the ground, dead. He watched for a few moments, making sure that there was no movement from the creature. Satisfied that it was not going to attack again, he turned back to the girl and looked down into her eyes. She seemed to be looking past him into nothing, eyes wide in terror and skin abnormally pale. "Jane?" he asked. He took her by the shoulders and tried to assess what she was experiencing. She was in shock, obviously, but there seemed to be something else transpiring as well. He tightened his grip. "Jane, are you alright? Say something."

Darcy continued to breathe heavily and silently for a few moments and then shook her head. "Hey, it has the same horns you do," she said pointing toward the fallen creature. He stared into her eyes in confusion for a moment, then discerned that this was a completely innocent and sincere remark. He smiled and laughed, pulling her to him tightly in a warm embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and leaned her head against his chest. "That was pretty much the scariest thing I've ever seen, done, smelled, felt, and . . . are there any other senses?"

"None that you want to think about at the moment, I'm sure," he replied. She nodded slowly and closed her eyes, repeatedly thanking the powers that be that she was safe and so was he. He gently broke their embrace, taking her hand and trying not to think about where she had just been. The Eye's power still felt incredibly close, but for now he decided it best to make sure the girl was still virtually unscathed and get her cleaned up. He sensed that one of the larger rivers had a smaller stream nearby with a somewhat small waterfall as well. Humans preferred moving water from what he remembered. He discerned the direction and began to lead them. "Come along, there's a stream not far from here."

"Oh good," she muttered as she followed, still trembling, "After all that I'm really thirsty."

(*)

"Cousin? Like second or third?" Stark asked in astonishment.

Pepper sighed and handed him the stack of papers that she had printed and compiled from the people hired to track Darcy Lewis both past and present. He took them quickly and looked over them in amazement. "I'm not sure, but I think it's second. Either way, she's quite possibly your last living relative," she said. She gestured to the documents. "Her guardian apparently died a year after she started at UCLA, but she's managed to keep her head above water grade wise."

"Brains run in the family," he muttered as he confirmed everything that Pepper had told him as well as a few other more obscure details in the documents.

"I'll keep that in mind," Pepper added. "Mr. Fury called again and asked if you had heard from you-know-who."

"No one has. He took his girlfriend, got hammered, and went home for now," Stark replied. "I guess they'll find her while they're getting acquainted with mommy and daddy."

"Right," Pepper said with a sigh. "What do you want me to tell him?"

"Just what I said," he replied. He thought for a moment. "Although, if they're looking to have some sort of inter-dimensional communication device then I might have some ideas."

(*)

"Is this normal?" Darcy asked as she noticed a strange mark on her hand. The hand that she had used to take hold of the crystal ball now had an unusual marking on it. He glanced down at it as they headed back towards the fortress. After revealing to him what she had retrieved from the creature's mouth, he had excitedly explained that this was the very object he had been seeking, the Norn Queen's Eye which meant they didn't have to be in the forest any longer. "It doesn't hurt or anything, but it's weird."

"You are a mortal, so it is very possible that you were marked by touching a magical item unprotected," he explained as they walked up the stairs leading into the fortress. The doors burst open before the two could reach them with Brenhin coming hurriedly towards them. "I'm sure I can find an answer to it in the books somewhere."

"What on earth were you thinking? Attacking a lindwurm in broad daylight!" Brenhin chastised as he neared them.

"It attacked first, Brenhin, there was little chance of escaping it after it had our scent," Loki retorted a little indignantly.

"I wasn't talking to you," Brenhin corrected as he took Darcy by the hands. "Look at you, you're a mess."

"Yeah, it was a trip," she remarked. Brenhin glanced over at his master's apprentice, but after being reminded of the origin of his place on Sylvanheim by Drifa as well as being faced briefly with the memory of Marya and the prophecy of Ragnarok, he couldn't bring himself to approach the trickster. Loki frowned at this, sensing Brenhin's dread. "I just need a shower and something to erase a few minutes worth of memories."

"The one I can handle," Brenhin replied, leading her away from her rescuer and into the fortress.

Loki watched this in concern. Brenhin had been angry at him before and disappointed, but never this uneasy without cause outright. He withdrew the orb from his robes and looked it over. The surface was smooth and unmarred, but within it seemed to be alive and surging with power. He turned it over a few times and wondered what it would take for Eldred to elicit the vision from it and what the sorcerer would inevitably ask of him afterward. No doubt the old man wouldn't be satisfied until Nauthiz was within his grasp which meant retrieving it for him after the vision had revealed its resting place. He looked back out into the forest and remembered what Darcy had told him; about her family, about her past, and about their game. He grinned and tossed the orb in the air, catching it effortlessly. Even after this exhausting day, it felt as though no time whatsoever had passed. She was safe and more importantly, still fully expended in thought about him. He turned back to the fortress and headed down toward Eldred's chambers. After he had delivered the Norn Queen's Eye he could get back to what really mattered; claiming Jane for himself.


	27. Love's Labor in Secret

_**!WARNING!**_

_This chapter contains __**sensual content and sexual activity**__. Please be aware that I do not condone sexual actions outside marriage myself, but that in many cultures including the Norsemen that the act of sex itself constituted a consummation of an unofficial marriage. The content and subject material are both meant for those __**over the age of 14**__ only (let's be realistic, 14 is when we all know fully what the act is). Read on only if you belong in the age or emotional category of 'mature'. Thank you. _

_**!WARNING!**_

Chapter 27: Love's Labour in Secret

Brenhin tried to steer clear of any conversation about what had transpired in their absence as he took the small pile of soiled clothes and used a modicum of the energy he had left to restore them to their previous state. He sighed heavily and set them neatly on a chair for her. He felt it best to allow her to retain as much modesty as possible for the time being. Whatever had happened leading up to the lindwurm's attack, it had filled both of them with palpable passion. While part of Brenhin wanted to confront the trickster and deter him from expressing it, the stronger part was still shaken by the appearance of Drifa and knew that not mentioning the emotions might allow them to die down on their own. When Darcy had finished and dressed herself, he showed her quickly back to her own quarters. She thanked him and tried to ask him something, but he was too lost in thought to hear it. She watched him leave as hurriedly as he had brought her to the room. This was entirely unlike him. She sat down on the edge of the bed and wondered what could have made him so edgy. As she looked out the window for a few moments, she felt all of the emotions and revelations of the day settling into a small maelstrom within her. She remembered how exhilarated and strangely thrilled she had been when surviving the journey into the electromagnetic storm that had brought them Thor and then surviving the attack on the town. The thrill now seemed to be magnified by the fact that she had actually been rescued this time. A broad grin crossed her lips and she held on to a lock of her own hair at the thought of how deeply she had come to love the trickster and how wonderfully he seemed to return the sentiment . . . when not enraged or overwhelmed with another sea of emotion, of course. The notion of what kind of temper would follow revealing the truth to him crossed her mind. She bit her lip and sighed. She had to tell him soon, before it was too late.

The door to the room opened slowly and he entered, her eyes lighting up with excitement at the sight of him. He noticed this from the small distance and felt all the more inclined to follow through in keeping her with him. He had already promised it once, but had also thought that he would be able to return to earth with her as their king. Still, even without a world to rule at the moment it was pleasing enough to consider ruling her heart and spirit. She seemed to desire it as well. She stood and hesitated a few feet away, folding her hands behind her as he tried to think of the best way to approach the subject. Seeking the orb had made spent their energy and renewed it all at once. He looked intently at her as they hesitated a distance from one another. She rose slowly, now feeling completely conflicted, but desperately yearning for the trickster to show her the affection she held for him. _You're crazy, he took you prisoner and you've let yourself fall for him_, she reprimanded herself inwardly. _So what? He rescued you, he cares about you somehow; that can't be a ruse_. _He practically went into that dragon's mouth after you! He's a hero, you're hero_. A similar conflict moved through the trickster as he stared back. Darcy drew in a deep breath and moved closer to him. Encouraged, he took a few steps forward as well watching her movements cautiously.

Darcy stopped a few inches away from him and looked up, staring deeply into Loki's eyes. He returned the gesture with equal uncertainty and desire. The two hesitated, scanning the other for signs of second thought. Neither seemed to desire anything else at the moment and their intentions were evenly passionate while frighteningly selfless. Darcy drew in a sharp breath and, for the first time in her life, made the first move. This was too good not to enjoy every possible second. She urged her lips against his, reaching down with one hand clutching the golden trim of his tunic, twisting it in her clenched fingers as if squeezing out of it all the passion she desired from him. Loki immediately reacted as soon as her tender lips had collided with his own, breathing in her scent while placing both hands at her back and drawing her flush against him. The feel of her warm, soft chest against him was thrilling and he could feel her heart gathering speed within her chest. He sighed heavily and slid one hand upward, following her spine until the axial branched out into the appendicular, cradling her shoulder from beneath. Fire smoldered in both, starting in the life chakra and slowly sending smoke into their minds, clouding any thoughts other than sharing and extinguishing the flames of lust. The only other woman he had known was Sif, but even her memory did not cast a shadow at the moment; there was no one but this mortal and there would be no one else. He could have sworn he was glowing and felt his skin beginning to grow attentive to every detail in her, coming alive as they continued to embrace and breathe. He pulled his face away a small distance, getting another satisfying look at her emerald eyes, as ferocious and as hungry as his own were.

"This is not what I first planned," he said softly. "And I don't care."

"Fine, just don't stop now," Darcy replied. He moaned and leaned forward, keeping one hand firmly against her back and catching them against the wall with the other over her head. She pulled back and looked down at the joining below his throat, watching his labored breaths exchange energy from throat to lung and then exhaling in response. She leaned forward and kissed him again, meeting the edge of his jaw line with her lips and a sigh. She reached up with her other hand, still clutching his tunic, and grasped his hair tightly at the back of his head. It was dark and divine, a veil of raven black silk welcoming the curious grip of each finger. "This isn't what I planned, either, and I really don't care."

"Will you love me?" he asked and almost instantly regretted saying it, but a more sensible yet sensitive part of him urged him to know this now. The thought that he might be rejected from this intimacy solely because of his brother made him cringe inwardly as he waited for the response and Darcy could sense the tension pulling his heart strings taut.

"Yes," she exhaled. She wanted to whisper that she loved him now and that she had loved him for quite some time. She suddenly realized that while she might have loved him, he didn't love her, not really. He had fallen in love with Jane; had he known that it was not his brother's love waiting tentatively in his arms, he wouldn't have given her a second more in his presence. She ached a little at this and entertained the idea of revealing the truth and ending the charade before it became a physical lie. Before she could say anything further, he relinquished his hold on the wall, allowing them to gently lean against it and cradling her head away from the stone with the hand that had been at her shoulder. With the hand that had been at the wall, he removed her glasses and set them aside, gently stroking the side of her face nearest the glistening green. She bit her lip and felt a surge of guilt move through her. He noted this expression, praying that it was not regret for betraying Thor. She sighed. "Loki, I need to tell you something, something important."

"Will it retain importance if it waits a while longer?" he asked, pleading with his eyes to move forward without breaking the bond they were forming. Darcy looked from side to side. He had said he didn't care, that could be interpreted in so many wonderful ways. She nodded and released her grip on his tunic, slowing moving her hand down to rest against his hip. He thanked whatever power was overseeing this magnificent tryst and quickly turned, guiding them onto the bed as he continued to gaze down into her beautiful eyes. If she had even half the affection for him that he felt now for her, then he could die tonight satisfied that he had accomplished more than any of his friends. "_**I**_ cannot wait any longer," he said firmly.

Darcy pulled both hands away from him and quickly pulled her sweater up over her head and off, tossing it to the side before grasping his shoulders and kissing him once more. The trickster allowed this for a moment and then pulled away in like manner, quickly removing his tunic and throwing it to the floor. They crawled onto the bed, kneeling in front of one another as they continued sharing breath and spirit face to face. After several seconds more the two moved around each other in a graceful dance of disrobing outward attire and slipping fully into the warm aura of their waiting lover. Darcy had never been so afraid and attracted to one person before and wondered if he felt the same regardless of the title she assumed. In truth Loki had the very same feelings including the anxiety of his own name. He looked down at the delicate, well-formed, and terribly pale mortal in front of him and was nearly brought to tears. She was exquisite in every way, each supple twist and turn of womanskin concealing a secret cavern heated by years of longing. Darcy stared back at Loki in equal amazement. His musculature clung to his lean frame like a young tiger, sleek and agile; poised and ready to make a meal of her in fully devouring her willing flesh. She had never wanted to be devoured so much before and certainly never wanted so ferocious a tiger.

"This . . ." Darcy began as she reached down and placed her palm over his thigh while he grasped either side of her face, looking longingly into her glistening features. She trembled and he suddenly discerned what she was about to say before she could utter the words. It chilled him, excited him, and terrified him all at once. "This will be my first time. I just never . . ."

He placed the fingers of one hand gently over her lips before she could say anything further. "I know that you are innocent and you need not be afraid. There will be so much more to have than fear," he said, adding a firmness to his sultry tone assuring her that he was not entirely unaware of her state and the needs that accompanied it. She froze and felt shocked that he knew this from just her demeanor and surface appearance. At the same time, she was excited to know that he was so attentive even now. He grinned and pulled her face closer to his own, stroking her cheek with one thumb. "I cannot restrain myself any longer. A single moment is a long time to desire anyone, but I have desired you for far too long."

"But that's not the point, I 'm not who you think I am," she said suddenly and outright. He sat back a little, looking inquisitively at her, but losing no hunger in his eyes in the process. She frowned and grasped his arms at either elbow. "Look, I'm not your brother's beloved, or intended, or betrothed, or whatever you people call it. I don't even think about him that much anymore even here and . . ."

Before she could finish he thrust his lips upon her once more and grasped her inner thigh forcefully. She gasped and a new sensation raced through her, stoking the fire in the root of her being and causing the flames to leap up into her face igniting her visage with a deep crimson blush. They grasped at one another for several moments, keeping a steady stream of breath and sound throughout the kiss. Loki pulled back and pressed his forehead against hers. "I know that as well," he said suggestively. "You belong to me, now."

"O-okay," she said, leaning into him and pulling them down to lying on the bed.

Loki shifted himself until he straddled her, gazing down into her eyes as she sat up on her elbows and gazed back, still obviously afraid of this undiscovered territory. He reached down placed a hand under her chin, smiling kindly through the rosy haze of thirst he had for her. "You are mine now. Utter nothing else but my name," he said huskily and sternly, both giving a command and verbalizing his position. She smiled and took hold of his shoulders pulling herself up against him as they slowly descended back onto the bed. He followed the same gestures and methods that he had learned in his time with Sif, but did so more slowly, thoroughly, and tenderly. She deserved nothing less than a remarkable guide into this and he was more than happy to accommodate through the most splendid means. He placed one arm under her back, pulling them even closer while lying on top of her. With the other hand he helped guide her knees into wrapping around him. She complied and felt sparks from the fire within shooting out through her limbs as she entangled herself around him like moss clinging to a tree. His hand wandered over her thighs and sacred velvet altar. She moaned, leaning forward and kissing his chest before feeling the fires intensify, then she commenced to something she could not explain. For reasons beyond her understanding, she felt compelled to bite his shoulder. As she did this, he growled, though certainly not out of anger.

He looked deeply and tenderly into her eyes as he finally took the full testimony of his masculine desire and plunged into her temple of gratification. With each powerful dive he bowed before the goddess within and prayed earnestly for the ultimate blessing. Darcy gasped and, though finding it terribly painful at first, was overwhelmed with the holy bliss moving through her. She could swear that music and wind was swelling around them as the flames within her surged into a raging volcano ready to erupt. She shouted, calling out his name and exclaiming in pure carnal joy. He roared, finally becoming the tiger that she had seen in him, and felt the goddess within moving through her and readying to answer the plea. The volcano within her stirred and churned with each powerful jolt he gave and suddenly Darcy felt the magma it had created fill her body, flowing with exquisite warmth and pleasure as she overflowed with ecstasy. Its peak erupted no less than three times sending her into a transcendent state that she knew was as close to heaven as any place in the mortal world and his. She shouted in that same ecstasy, matching a primal cry from her immortal lover. He felt the petition answered at once, the temple shaking with earth-shattering decrees that he was more than satisfactory and she was truly appeased. His gratitude filled her as she tried to catch her breath; collapsing beneath him and feeling him withdraw to lie down beside her, cupping her closer than ever before.

Darcy breathed heavily and clung to him as they relaxed into one another. He pulled her head against his chest, stroking her hair gently. She sighed and slipped her arms around him, closing her eyes as more effectual exhaustion began to take her. Loki was teetering on the other side of the spectrum, as clear and lucid as Sif had described. He looked down at Darcy and felt her slip into a dreamless sleep. He leaned down and softly kissed the top of her head, lingering a moment as he breathed in the scent of her hair and felt the absence of thought in her otherwise charged brain. He could only compare it to being near an ocean after a great storm and seeing the grey waters receded and calm. He smiled as he watched and felt her draw herself closer to him, sighing comfortably. Whether or not she ever returned to Thor she was entirely in love with Loki at the moment and added to the beautiful love they had made he would always have a significant place in her heart. He glowed inwardly at the thought of presenting her as his own in front of his mother, father, and brother. An irrational urge to go and shout it the whole of Asgard filled him. The rational part of him told him that while this was extremely unwise, perhaps it wasn't entirely a bad idea to go and inform his brother. There had been two well-played victories for him today; he needed to enjoy at least the one to its fullest. He glanced back down at his lover once more and kissed her a final time as he pulled his clothing back on and readied to leave. Darcy shifted and muttered something in her sleep, but didn't wake. When he had finished dressing, he leaned over her and softly touched the side of her face.

"I'll be back," he whispered. "I must ensure that everyone of importance knows what has happened and what I intend. When I return, it will be for the rest of our lives."


	28. True Lies

Chapter 28: True Lies

The streets of Asgard were quiet and anxious, waiting any further commands from the king or outbursts from either of their princes. Even without being present, Loki had managed to remain in the conversations and consciousness of the citizens reaching as far as Nornheim. He appeared far from Nornheim close to the palace, taking a deep breath of the night air and reveling in the cool, smooth feel of the atmosphere filling his lungs. He expelled it just as quickly, allowing a wealth of heat to escape as well and grinning as he remembered the heat he had left behind momentarily. He stifled the urge to bounce freely from every surface with the joy overwhelming him. Instead, he carefully made his way back to the westernmost region of the palace away from the great hall. It was here that he remembered watching his brother and the other warriors gather to discuss future exploits.

He slipped through the rim of guards that had been doubled since his disappearance. He cloaked himself with invisibility only for a moment before and after encountering the stalwart defenders of the palace, so brimming with confidence that he allowed a number of servants to see him as he leapt onto a nearby ledge and watched as the familiar sight of his brother and the four warriors, as well as one of the women he had seen on earth, met and began to speak quietly. How like them to gather and simply speak without any effectual planning for . . . One of the women from earth? Why in the nine realms was another human present? He gathered invisibility around himself as he softly dropped to the ground and moved closer to the five Asgardians and the woman.

"Why would she ask you alone to go after him?" Sif asked Volstagg in confusion. Thor shook his head and turned back to Jane, taking her hand gently and hoping to keep her as comforted as possible following the display from his father.

"I did make an oath to her as well as to the king," Volstagg reasoned. "Perhaps she has a different trust for me."

"I don't see why unless Loki happens to be wearing a rack of lamb," Fandral added. "Although she should be worried for his safety in that sense."

"Have some respect for the . . . " Volstagg began, but then caught a glimpse at both Thor and Hogun. He shook his head and turned back to Fandral. "Do you ever have an end to your insults?"

"No, not for you," Fandral replied casually. Volstagg glared at him and angrily gripped the hilt of his axe. "And certainly not for Loki."

"Have a care, Fandral, he is still my brother," Thor said firmly, squeezing Jane's hand affectionately.

"Where has that oracle gone, anyway? One minute she comes and tells us several quite important topics, but the next she's disappeared. If I didn't know any better I'd think that she was just as frazzled as he was," Fandral continued.

"Isn't there some kind of magic spell that you guys can use, like a mirror or a crystal ball to find her, him, both of them?" Jane asked.

Loki grinned brightly and leapt up onto a table not far away from them, standing as proudly and confidently as if he were preparing for his own coronation. He allowed the invisibility to fade from him quickly as he turned toward his brother and the rest of his crowd. "No need, I am quite found," he announced loudly. The group stared back at the haughty prince in astonishment. Loki briefly noted that Sif's hair had been cut entirely too short. He smirked at the anger crossing the features of the four warriors, the conflict growing in his brother's eyes, and the horror in the expression of the human woman. He felt a little confusion move through him as the woman rose to her feet and started toward him, infuriated. Whoever she was, his brother was likely using her as a substitute for Jane. Thor took hold of her by the shoulder and held her back. The display seemed to impress the other three men standing behind her as well as the trickster to some degree. Thor looked at his brother with restrained contempt as Sif took a step forward, gasping. The trickster turned to her, knowing that she recognized the look in his eyes and this confidence in his posture as stemming from only one source.

"I told you he would defile her!" Sif accused in an angry whisper. Thor turned back to her for a moment, shocked that not only would she accuse him of something, but that she could tell this just by looking at him. Sif glared back. "I remember that gaze, that conceit from torrid passion."

"And well you should, Lady Sif," Loki replied smoothly, leaping down and a few paces closer to the group. The warriors and their friend stayed put as he appraised them. He took in the sight of Sif more than any of them, readying to see the look in his brother's eyes after the revelation. "I do believe if I had it to do over again, I would do it over again publically. You seem to perform best in a crowd."

Sif snarled, angered not only by these words but at having mourned for the little fraud unnecessarily. Hogun stopped her and allowed Thor to take a few steps toward his brother instead. The elder looked back at the younger with renewed concern for both the trickster and his unfortunate captive. "Loki, what have you done?" Thor asked flatly.

"Your woman, Thor; your precious mortal woman," he replied with an evil grin. The group gasped, all turning their gaze to Jane except Thor who stared back at his brother in confusion. "And she did not once remember you throughout."

Before the older prince could parry the accusation fully, Jane reached down to her beloved's side and took hold of Mjolnir. He noticed this too late and she managed to slip it free from the leather binding at his side and take a step forward. The step was short lived as the hammer dove for the ground, taking Jane with it. She knelt, still clutching the handle and grunting in frustration. Loki took a step backward, unsure of what this display was for. Perhaps she was an obscure relative of some kind; he had seen her in the same location as Jane. She glared up at the trickster, pulling at Mjolnir as hard as she could manage. "As soon as I get this thing off the ground, it's going in your face!" she shouted directly at Loki who looked back skeptically. It bothered him to a small degree that she had been able to move the hammer at all. As the two brothers both repeated their question and answer in different words at least thrice, Jane continued struggling to raise Mjolnir. Thor finally stepped back and picked up the hammer, taking both her hands with him and prompting her to try and wrestle it free from him. She glared at him for the first time since they had met, though her anger was aimed at someone else explicitly. "Let me have it! Just for a minute, I'll leave some of him for the rest of you!"

"No one else can wield this," Thor explained quickly.

"And yet there is so much else that one can take from you . . . permanently," Loki said, enjoying this renewed chaos and conflict. He seemed positively giddy at the anger despite being the recipient of it. "She was meek and easily swayed, if that comforts you, brother. I'm sure Jane will be just as willing to take you if you will still have her."

"You lying piece of crazy! I never had sex with you!" Jane shouted furiously. Loki froze as the small voice of reason he usually kept silent took hold of the edge of his mind. A few memories popped into his head of the girl forgetting about Thor, forgetting to respond to her own name, asking if he meant to harm her. A look of panic crossed his face as he realized that he just made have been exposed as making the biggest blunder in his life. He took a step back and gripped his forehead as he tried to make sense of it. Jane's expression fell for a moment. "Oh my God . . . did you? Did you? You did, didn't you?"

Thor had to catch Jane once more, keeping her away from his brother and any harm that might come to either of them in the process. She fought with him for a few moments. "Not now, Jane, he still has her," he warned.

"I don't care! He's had it coming for weeks and now I'm gonna kill him!" she shouted, still trying to break free from her beau. Loki took another step back at remembering that the girl had said she wanted to tell him something important. Was this what she had meant? Had she . . . lied to him? Jane finally resigned herself to simply a verbal assault. "You creep! You miserable little creep! Where's Darcy? Where did you leave her?"

Loki's eyes darted back and forth for a moment. "Darcy . . ." he said softly. "That's her name."

"I warned you, I said he was capable," Sif said, shaking her head sadly.

Thor frowned and pulled Jane behind him, keeping her pinned at bay with all the strength he could muster that wouldn't harm her. He looked deeply into his brother's expression; he had intended to boast magnificently, but there was something else in his eyes as well. Preceding the betrayal that seemed to surge there at the moment, he had seemed genuinely happy the same gaze he had seen in his reflection after a night alone under the stars with Jane. His mind spun, but at the moment the desire to be diplomatic seemed more pragmatic a gesture than brute force. It hadn't worked on earth to get his brother to submit and it was less likely to work now that he had been more fully humiliated. Instead, he reached out a hand toward Loki and gave him a firm look. "Brother, whatever has happened, it can be settled once everyone is returned where they belong," Thor pleaded. Loki stared back at him, contemplating the gesture and going through with the request. Thor felt his heart race in anticipation. "Please come home."

The trickster felt all of the implications surrounding this disclosure starting to form a fever. He groaned inwardly and recoiled from his brother's gesture. He looked back at him, directing the resentment building for Darcy at him for the time being. Thor frowned, realizing that there was no hope of convincing him to return now. "I have no home," Loki hissed back and turned, disappearing in one swift movement. His mind went numb as the thoughts within skidded to a halt, allowing him the presence to summon the spell that would take him quickly back to Sylvanheim. A chill washed over him as he appeared back in the room with the young woman. He noted that she was still sleeping and a twinge of both guilt and grief suddenly pricked at his conscience. He leaned backward against the wall, fighting tears of rage, an outburst of anguish, and the innumerable questions he wanted answered. After a fleeting few seconds that passed as heavily as hours for him, Darcy stirred and yawned. She noticed instantly that he was not beside her and scanned the room for him. She seemed to relax a little at noticing him beside the door. She sat upright and pulled the covers around her as she smiled at him kindly. He frowned at her.

"Who are you?" he asked in a hoarse whisper. She frowned and looked away. Clearly he hadn't known who she was even with his power and now was just as bad a time as any to reveal it. She drew in a deep breath as he moved toward the edge of the bed, staring at the young mortal in cautious shock. "Tell me who you are."

"Loki," she said softly, trying to think of the best way to word this. "I'm not Jane."


	29. Sinful Segue

_(((I am a second cousin! Natalie Ruth shares the same birthday as Exton Elias Downey who both share a birthday with my aunt. . . congratulations to both families! All these water-bearers, I just hope the water signs in the family can keep up!)))_

Chapter 29: Sinful Segue

Loki and Darcy stared uncomfortably at one another for a few moments as Darcy formed the words she knew the trickster needed to hear and that wouldn't upset him beyond reason in the process. Her mind began to wander as she suddenly realized that this kind of worry was just unhealthy; both the act of worrying like this and the necessity of it given his shifts in mood. The idea that she had made a mistake swept through her and she shuddered at the notion of being held as a real prisoner for the rest of her life. His breaths sharpened and his eyes narrowed as the silence continued and he could tell that she was no longer infatuated with him. Of course, it escaped the trickster that this new expression of fear and anxiety was entirely his fault, but it aggravated him nevertheless. He took a step closer to her, prompting her to scoot away a few inches and draw in a deep breath.

"I thought you knew, I thought that with all of your powers you must have known," she said uneasily. "Brenhin knew; how could you not know?" He growled a little at this revelation, forming fists with both hands. Not only was this a challenge to his abilities, but the servant had known beforehand? This was truly unacceptable. She sighed and reached out for him, he recoiled instantly. "I wanted to tell you, I-I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen to me."

"What do you mean I didn't listen to you? I had no choice but to listen to your nonsense day in and day out! You were incorrigible! And yet with all of your incessant claptrap you neglected to tell me your name!" he exclaimed angrily. Darcy shrank back at this and looked up at him remorsefully. He turned away, gripping his forehead in frustration. "I just made a great fool of myself in front of my brother and his friends because of your deception! I have never been so humiliated . . . "

"Your brother and his friends?" Darcy shouted as her eyes widened. "You told people? That's why you just up and left? You went and told people?"

"Do not try and divert from what I asked you in the first place," he hissed back.

Darcy snarled and leapt out of the bed, hurriedly dressing and muttering to herself. "I can't believe this," she muttered. "Can't get away from total creeps even in another freakin' dimension."

"I asked you who you were," he continued furiously.

Darcy whirled around in similar rage. "I told you my name was Darcy Lewis and you've had weeks to get to know 'who I was' you jerk," she retorted. He felt a little taken aback by this. Few immortals let alone a human (other than that despicable Tony Stark and at least one of his counterparts) had ever spoken to him like this. Fewer would even consider it. She sighed and allowed her hands to move freely as she spoke, gesturing to emphasize each syllable with appropriate emotion. "Why the heck do you want to know so badly right now anyway? You want a different name and profile to put with your bragging? Huh?"

"I want to know who I lay with and why they lied to me!" he shouted in reply.

"Well it evidently wasn't who you wanted so just let it go; I'm going," she snapped as she turned to walk past him. She hesitated. "Wait a minute . . . this is _my_ room. _**You**_ get out, now."

"You arrogant little snake," he growled.

"That's a laugh coming from the world's leading expert in serpents and how to act like one," she shot back.

"How dare you speak to me in so disparaging a tone. You _**lied**_ to me!"

"No! You lied to me!" she said pointing back at herself firmly. She gestured in many directions afterward. "You-you lied to me, to your brother, to your friends, to everyone else! I just didn't want my friend to get killed or hurt and I'm glad I did it. I wouldn't change it especially knowing that you just wanted to hurt as many people as you could provided it led to something to hold over your brother."

He hesitated a moment, taking a few steps toward her so that even less space separated them. He had never seen her enraged before, not like this, and it was magnificent. Her face glowed like a star with its last few echoes of flame burning in her eyes. "That may be, but you specifically lied to me," he said carefully enunciating each word.

"Yeah? Well, I lied to keep my friend from getting hurt. You lied to hurt your friends and your family," she countered. "I think mine is just slightly on this side of being the lesser of two evils."

He advanced toward her until they stood only a few inches apart, staring at one another with heated rage masking the surge of other emotions that welled within them. He looked down at her hungrily. In truth it was quite a relief to think that he hadn't taken his brother's woman, had nothing to be remorseful of, and with innocence to this degree he also felt completely liberated. This was practically a form of benign mischief, at least benign in the sense that no one had been maimed or permanently scarred that he was aware of. She frowned and looked away, hiding the urge to start crying at the moment. Still oblivious to the sea of conflict in her, he reached down and took hold of her face. "You lied to me . . . and you did it well," he said seductively.

Darcy pulled away and glared at him. "What is that supposed to be a compliment? Get out!" she snapped, pointing furiously at the door.

"I'm not going anywhere," he replied, back to devouring this unique mortal and enjoying the renewal of this exotic flavor . . . resistance.

"Fine, I'll go sleep in the library," she muttered, moving past him.

He caught her by the arm and pulled her firmly back in front of him, taking hold of both shoulders and trying to analyze the electric tension in the musculature of both her small yet powerful arms. She pulled back, finding his grip too strong to refuse for the time being. The two matched gazes for several silent moments, the one trying to find a window in which to speak their mind to the other without the possibility of interruption. After the fifth attempt, Loki realized that speaking was futile and that there was only one way to communicate without fear of reprisal or lecturing. He pulled her into him forcefully, kissing her as passionately as he had shouted a moment before. No one had ever been able to deceive him for very long (except for his adoptive parents, though the trickster had always secretly known that something must have been excluded from their parenting towards him) and the notion of any being having the mental fortitude and cerebral capacity to do so was exceptionally attractive. The power that this mortal, this spirit of acumen in a frail scaffolding of warm flesh and thin bone, could wield was unlike anything he had encountered before save in beings like Eldred. He was now overwhelmed with the notion of having found the one human able to truly hold their own in his presence. He might not have taken his brother's beloved captive, but he had taken humanity's last sentient entity and had filled her being with his own. In her own mind, Darcy couldn't escape the fact that he had wanted Jane to begin with, he had been foolish and consumed enough with jealousy to be blinded from the truth, and that he had left her asleep to go and flaunt it. She fought with him a few seconds before shoving him backwards and pulling away all at once.

"No, Loki, this is wrong. What you did is just . . . just . . . wrong! Get out, go away!" she said, turning her face away as she pointed towards the door.

"Darcy, please," he said, the tone in his voice having shifted entirely back to the elegant serpent she had come to know. She didn't respond to it and, while this was equally as arousing, it infuriated him. First she deceives him and now she rejects him? This was egregiously inappropriate particularly for a mortal. He frowned. "Very well, you are in a bad humor and I will give you time to restore yourself. But I will not be denied what is rightfully mine."

"You don't own anyone, least of all me," she shot back.

"You deceive yourself with this stubbornness. You are mine and I will not relinquish you for lack of a single moniker," he replied, turning and leaving quickly. After being both duped and denied he was not going to be robbed of the last word. Darcy frowned and slunk to the floor as he closed the door behind him. He could hear the faint sobbing on the other side as he released the handle and hesitated. He could easily go back in, apologize for the outburst and anything else that might have offended her, and then they would be as right as if he had done nothing. No, there was pride and dignity to consider not to mention the fact that she needed to be most aware of his authority now that he knew she had power. Still, it ached in him to think that she was suffering because of something he had done. He closed his eyes for a moment, but couldn't bring himself to open the door and put an end to the suffering. As he opened his eyes, he was met with the cold, blank stare of a familiar creature. It caught him completely by surprise and he found himself terrified for a moment. Drifa narrowed her white eyes at him and scowled. "What now, oracle?"

"Perhaps I showed it to you in the wrong order, then you wouldn't be so inclined to repeat your parents' mistakes," she observed coolly. He frowned at her. She turned as she willed the world around them to warp and twist into the images of the past. "You've become exactly what your mother feared . . . your father."


	30. Marya Regrets

_(((Happy Birthday Loki . . . er, Mr. Hiddleston! No matter how old you are today, you were timeless in the role of the legendary trickster! Have a great one you gorgeous green-eyed gent!)))_

Chapter 30: Marya Regrets

Drifa took a deep breath and closed her eyes until she heard the trickster take a few steps toward her. He looked around at the walls and doors that were now surrounding them; it appeared to be a palace not unlike the one he was raised in, but instead of gold and onyx there was polished marble and cedar. He noted that there were also grand tapestries with incredible images. The images here were not of bold warriors showered in the blood of slaughtered enemies or atop mounds of severed heads. Instead there were gatherings of elves (and another race that he assumed were elves though he was confused at the appearance of some) with numerous animals and glowing maidens wandering through the forests hand in hand. Some were decorated with brilliant flowers and glittering stars that he could have sworn were stars themselves and not cloth. Drifa noted that he was marveling at his surroundings and smirked. At least part of him seemed to be connecting with the culture that was his better heritage. She led the way down the hall and through what must have been one of the larger entrance rooms and the set of stairs leading up and away, branching off in two directions.

Loki stopped in front of a large portrait on the wall at the top of the stairs. Painted in ornate shades of green, gold, ochre, and brown was the image of an old, wise king, a lovely queen, and a fair yet fierce-eyed princess. He paused as the features became oddly familiar. Drifa watched as recognition crossed his face and he felt his heart beat a little faster. The princess was Marya and the old king was her father, the one he had seen in the forest. Their features seemed so much more pleasant and care-free even with the somber visage always seen in royal portraits. He reached out with one hand, trembling, and tried to touch the face of the woman that had borne him. Drifa reached out and wrapped her small, pale fingers around the tips of his own. He turned and looked at her in shock for a moment and then shook his head. She hesitated and stood in front of him, looking more like a child to him than she had ever looked before.

"Do you love your mother?" she asked innocently. He stared at her in confusion for a moment.

"I suppose . . . I don't really know her," he replied.

Drifa looked stunned at this and looked him over. "How can you not know someone who cared for you and looked after you for millennia?" Drifa asked.

Loki frowned at her and sighed. "Are you implying that I should give any consideration to some ridiculous inner conflict that you want to have fully instilled over the past few visits?" he said angrily.

"You feel conflicted?" Drifa asked. Loki scoffed at this and turned back toward the portrait. The two suddenly heard a loud and piercing wail fill the palace. They turned toward it and Loki felt his heart begin to race once more. Drifa frowned. "She was just told."

"I know that voice, it's hers," he said softly before darting off toward the sound of Marya's screams. Drifa sighed and followed. The trickster picked up speed and, despite not knowing the layout of the palace itself, made his way swiftly to where several servants huddled outside a door. He halted a few feet away, still incurably anxious in these visions. Drifa appeared beside him and looked up at him sadly. He watched as an elf robed in pale blue and white left the room as well and spoke softly to the servants who nodded and went in separate directions. The wailing continued as the two were left in the hallway alone. Loki felt a rush of energy and he harnessed it in his limbs, propelling himself forward as if in a dream and pulled the door open, hurrying into the room and looking intently for the princess. Marya lay in a heap on the floor beside a lounging chair set a good distance between the fireplace and the enormous balcony. She wept inconsolably into both hands, her gauzy white gown surrounding her like foam from a sea of grief. Loki finally found the strength and presence that he knew would allow him to embrace his mother. Drifa took hold of his hand with surprising strength of her own. He tried to pull free from her, surprised at the grip she now had and the extent of its power. He growled and looked down at the oracle furiously. "Let me comfort her! She is in distress!"

"You cannot comfort her," she said flatly. "She weeps because of you."

"Because of me?" he exclaimed. He turned and despaired at the sight of the she elf still wailing and getting closer to the floor with each sob. "I have done nothing to her! This vision is from a time before I existed!"

"You exist, Loki. You exist in your simplest form here," Drifa explained. The trickster stared down at her confusedly, trying to discern this new riddle from her glowing white eyes before looking back at his mother. She turned back to the form of Marya as well and sighed. "She weeps because of the news that she is with child."

He felt his breath catch in his chest and he instinctively stared back into Drifa's blank expression in horror. Marya was distressed at the news that she was expecting? All women wanted children and it was the duty of any royal woman to bear a son in their lifetime. What about this could have upset her? Even with the knowledge that his father was the cruel king of Jotunheim, she must have been happy to think that the child would be her own to begin with. He heard the door open behind them and greater shock crossed his features. Another being had entered the room quickly and this one was even more familiar than Marya, although it was indefinitely a younger version than the one that Loki knew. He stumbled backwards a few steps as Drifa stood perfectly still, watching emotionlessly while the new figure hurried to Marya's side and knelt, embracing her tightly. "It can't be," Loki whispered. "How can he possibly have known . . . all this time . . . Brenhin?"

"Marya," he whispered as he pulled her tighter to his chest. "Narfi and Oski told me; the physician says you are well and that there should be no difficulty if there is elf-blood at all in the child." Drifa grinned and folded her hands neatly in front of her. Marya sprang to life at Brenhin's presence and reached down to his side, taking hold of the long dagger that hung from his belt and pulling it free before trying to plunge it deeply into her. He gasped and took hold of her wrist, struggling to keep the blade in the air and away from her belly. "Marya, no!"

"No, Brenhin, it's an abomination, a monster! It must die!" she wailed. Loki's heart wrenched in two and a few tears instantly found their way to his eyes and fell without restraint. Marya sobbed harshly as she slowly allowed the dagger to fall from her hand and clutched Brenhin's shoulders tightly. He breathed heavily and clutched her in return. "I didn't think it was possible, it shouldn't have been possible! I cannot give birth to a half-breed or worse, a Jotun in its full form! What will my father say? What will Laufey do when it finally breaks free of what's left of me?"

"I don't know," Brenhin said softly and gently pressed his lips against her forehead. Loki stared in amazement at the tenderness coming from the servant. He didn't appear to be a servant here. His clothing and weapon was more fitting of a scout or a messenger. The trickster's eyes narrowed as he suddenly noticed that Brenhin's ears came to proud, leaf-like points. This was certainly not something that was true of the Brenhin he had known for years. "You had the strength and courage to make this sacrifice for your people. We can go anywhere you like to stay until we can acquire Odin's help; to Nornheim, to Asgard, to Midgard itself and to the Fey for protection if you like. Anywhere, Marya, I will go with you."

"And this thing, this-this creature he has left in me?" she cried. "What do I do with this . . ."

"It is your child, Marya, your baby," he interjected firmly. She seemed to be soothed a little at these words added to the offer to leave. She leaned her forehead against his chest and breathed heavily. "I have made an offer to the Norn Queen, to ensure that it will be more of you than he."

"What?" Marya whispered, pulling away and looking back into the eyes of the man that must have been more than just a dear friend. Loki felt a strange aura forming around them and recognized the presence of love, a love that transcended romance and manifested itself through sacrifice. "How?"

"I have asked that should the child live and bear any semblance to his father that endangers you . . ." he began, stroking her hair affectionately. "That she is to take all of the virtues of my ancestry and bestow them on the child."

"You would do such a thing? For the seed of Laufey the Slayer of Realms?" she exclaimed.

"It is already done," Brenhin said proudly. The resolution in the elf's grey-green eyes prompted the matron to fall back onto him, sobbing in gratitude now more than anything. He clutched her to him and breathed deeply. "Tapio is away at the battle front. I will stay wherever you need me and we will stay wherever you desire."

"Any distance from that filthy sea of ice and degradation is pleasant," she muttered, stroking one of his shoulders in similar affection. "If it is a male, he will come for it."

Brenhin frowned. "If it is a daughter, you should have a name for her that will honor your people first," he corrected, trying to draw any and all thought away from the horror Laufey had visited on the Alfskind. Loki took a step forward, amazed at this display from so long ago where the man that would be servant to Eldred knelt in the palace of Alfsheim and was brought most deeply into the heart of Marya. "If it is a son, you should choose a name to give him your wisdom and courage."

"If it is a daughter, perhaps he will leave us in peace," she said softly. She closed her eyes and shifted herself to lie comfortably in her friend's arms. The trickster looked back at Drifa, a hundred questions forming and formed in his mind though not able to make themselves known through words. He shook his head and turned back to the couple lying on the floor with the unborn trickster between them. "This will be the end of my life in the palace, the end of my life among my people. It should be Loka . . . the very end."

"Do you really think such a burdensome name is fair for an innocent child?" Brenhin said without thinking. He chastised himself inwardly, as did Loki, for making such a statement while Marya was still so overwhelmed by the burden she herself was bearing. Comforted by the man, she took no notice of the contradiction and reveled instead in the warmth that he gave. The pulsing heart of the messenger she had loved was more wonderful than the flames kindled behind them.

"All things close, all things end, before greater things begin," she said as she reached down and clasped his hand. "We can finally be free of this farce . . . we will leave together and be liberated of these silvered chains once and for all! My father and the court will have no say in our union."

"Then perhaps this tragedy is in its own right, in another light that is, perhaps it might be a blessing," he said cautiously. She gripped his hand even tighter and wiped the last few tears away. Clearly the presence of Brenhin was more comfort than any tonic or infusion that an Asgardian healer could make. Loki admired the two for several minutes and marveled at the noble nature of the servant. "Loka is a splendid name for a princess . . . and what if it is a prince, a son?"

Marya frowned and shook her head. "If it is a son, Laufey will name it . . . I will not," she said firmly. Brenhin opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it at the last minute. As much comfort as he could offer and as soothed as she was at thinking of a daughter with Brenhin's natural magic as influence, she would not yet consider the idea of fulfilling the wicked prophecy. She sighed and buried her head in his chest again. "He takes everything he wants as if it is owed to him. He is more greedy than Surtur and more arrogant than the All-Father."

"But you are as fair and sweet as moss blossoms; in your presence no one can entertain the memory of cruelty," Brenhin said softly, again trying to divert the conversation. She smiled and leaned against him, kissing him where she heard his proud heart beating. "Where shall we go, then?"

"Sylvanheim," Marya replied softly. "It is safe; Laufey will not think to come there for his son."

Before any further words could pass between the two, the images warped and shifted, colour draining as the grays of the walls in the fortress returned. Loki scowled and turned back to Drifa, enraged. "Why must any goodness be ended in your presence?" he demanded.

"Why must you destroy what you cannot have and spurn what you are given freely?" she retorted.

Loki growled and readied to thwart this statement with a fierce verbal assault. He froze as another wave of bewailing filled his ears and the rest of the fortress. His expression fell. Drifa grinned and bowed her head politely before disappearing. The trickster ignored the oracle's disappearance and followed the sound which was as familiar as the voice of Marya was to Brenhin; it was Darcy his own lover.


	31. The Flyt of Eldred and Brenhin

Chapter 31: The Flyt of Eldred and Brenhin

Hesitating outside Darcy's doorway, Loki paced back and forth anxiously. Whatever he had done, and it still escaped him what about his escapade could have possibly angered her, he wasn't sure how to address it with her and prevent any further irritation. He thought about the sight of Brenhin and Marya. Why hadn't Brenhin told him about his heritage? He had known as well and had lied to him just like the others; no, more so. Brenhin loved Marya, but he hadn't cared enough for her child to tell him who he really was. His mind shifted to concentrating on how angry he was at Brenhin while excited he was at the prospect of having someone this close that could tell him about his mother and his people, about the truth. His mind shifted back and forth between the whirlwind that spun around his past and the typhoon drawing him into a violent and passionate future. He groaned inwardly, but soon realized that he would be able to think more clearly about his future if he handled at least a part of concentrating on the past. He sighed heavily and turned away from her door, hurrying down the hallway and towards the primary room instead. He swiftly descended the stairs and settled down at the table, silently. He waited for a few moments and then cleared his throat.

"Brenhin!" he called. The servant didn't respond and Loki was a little unsettled to realize that the rooms were all far too silent. He couldn't hear Eldred's murmurs or toiling even in the distance and Brenhin's movements and voice were entirely absent. A cold chill moved through him alongside the anger that had started to smolder against the servant for his secrecy. "Brenhin! Where are you? I need you at once!" he shouted again. Several moments more passed with no sign of Brenhin or even Eldred noticing the call. He growled and stood, slamming both hands into the table. "Useless peasant, never here when I him. Eldred's servant indeed; Eldred has never tolerated such a waste of time."

He stormed down towards Eldred's chambers, muttering to himself about Brenhin's inadequacies. It still angered him that the servant had kept such significant secrets. He had known about Marya. He had known about Laufey. He had known who Darcy was all long before he had said anything to the trickster. For that matter, Brenhin had never said anything to him about any of those things and it gnawed at him like a relentless breeze in Jotunheim. As he approached the door, he felt an even colder chill move through him. The door to Eldred's chamber was open which was entirely unlike his powerful and secretive master. He frowned and took hold of the door's edge and peered in. The room was dark and empty, even the cauldron he kept for visions was still and un-steaming. A small wave of nausea hit him. Something bad must have happened, or been done. He thought for a moment about the best way to investigate, his eyes darting back and forth. He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath, trying to think of all the possible rooms, secret and overt alike, allowing his power with presence to drift through each chamber to see whether or not his master and the servant were still even in the fortress itself. As his consciousness eased into the atrium, he sensed terrible things; heat, panic, and rage. He quickly opened his eyes and raced away from Eldred's chambers toward the atrium.

In the atrium itself, Eldred loomed over the fallen Brenhin, clutching his left hand and forearm. The servant breathed deeply and sharply past the pain in his seared limb. Eldred had punished him with fire when Loki had displeased him or when Brenhin had been unable to relieve him of a foul mood before, but this was beyond any anger the servant had known in his master. He shuddered as a measure of shock set in and Eldred strode over to the window, glaring into the distance. "I sent him to retrieve that orb, but long before that I ordered you to keep that meddlesome woman-child away from him. You know what a distraction anything good is for him. I spend years trying to purge that little mutant of the purity that stands between him and my using the last of that prophecy to fulfill my destiny," he ranted. Brenhin groaned and turned away. "That boy is trouble enough when he follows directions. I should have done what I first intended and killed that mortal the moment he dragged it back here."

"She is innocent . . . just send her back to Midgard and be done with it but do not sully yourself with further bloodshed," Brenhin said sadly. He knew that the more blood Eldred spilled, the more he craved it and the more Loki became a potential target. He inhaled shakily and tried to sit up, leaning on his good elbow as he looked back at his master. It was too dangerous to stay much longer in the sorcerer's service. The master sensed this and snarled at Brenhin. "If you would give me the means, I would return her myself."

"And give you the chance to go running to off to the rest of your kindred on earth? The light elves have meddled in my affairs before on behalf of your putrid messages. Even with your magic gone I have no doubt that you would find a way to manipulate the rest of your filthy breed to rise against me as Tapio did. Loki was saved for the small uses he had for the people around him, but he has outlived his purpose as being alive," Eldred snorted indignantly. He held up one hand, eyes glowing a piercing blue as flames began to dance along his fingertips. He turned back to the servant furiously. "If you are willing to betray me in my own fortress, then you cannot be trusted at a distance."

"Then release me from your service and let me take her back. Anything else you need you can get from your apprentice," Brenhin replied.

"Ha! A wonderful idea for all of you perhaps, but it lacks one crucial element to draw my approval," Eldred remarked as he slowly turned back to his servant. Brenhin's eyes filled with terror as he realized that Eldred had gone beyond mad now, he was willing to do more than harm; he was willing to murder anyone and anything that displeased him. A tear formed in his eye at realizing his end was moments away and he would be rendered permanently unable to protect Marya's son. At least he had been able to do it for a few years past the boy's childhood, he thought. He watched the flames grow brighter and leap higher from the man's hand. "Your proposal needs only . . . DEATH!"

Brenhin cringed and drew his head against his chest as Eldred aimed the fires at him, releasing an inferno to engulf the servant and leave nothing but a memory behind in the fortress. The doors to the atrium burst open and a blast of arctic air formed a wall between the flames and Brenhin as he lay on the floor. The feeling of the cold confused the servant and he opened his eyes. The sight of the glistening ice forming a protective barrier made his heart leap. Eldred's eyes narrowed angrily as the wall continued to grow, trapping the sorcerer in a small pocket of space; it's wall reaching from ceiling to floor thickly. Brenhin smiled weakly and a few more tears formed in his eyes. "Loki," he whispered.

Eldred growled. "Show yourself, you miserable little brat!" he shouted. A hand fell on the sorcerer's shoulder and he whirled around.

"I'm right here, coward," Loki retorted furiously. Before the sorcerer could reply, Loki summoned a surge of power and thrust it harshly into the man's chest. It flung him backwards against the ice wall. He stayed in place for a moment as his heated flesh touched the ice. Loki saw yet another opportunity and allowed him to slide only a few inches to the floor before summoning the casket once again. He willed another blast of ice to form over all of the man's body leaving only his head exposed. Eldred was so taken with the shock of his apprentice having the casket and using it so forcefully that he hadn't been blessed with the presence of mind to summon any sort of protection. He shuddered violently in the cold of the ice surrounding him entirely. Loki moved forward and glared hatefully at the old man. "I found the orb, I completed my task, and now I take my leave of you and claim Brenhin as my servant."

"Claim the senseless fob if you must, but you did not deliver the orb as whole," Eldred sneered through gritted teeth. Loki frowned at him. "It's magic is missing and until it is brought to me, you are still mine by right."

"I am a prince of Asgard," Loki said as he willed the casket back to the vault. He turned and walked toward the wall of ice. "I belong to no one." Without another word, Loki stepped through the ice, his form easing through the surface with the crackling of magic manipulating its very construct. He looked down at his new servant with a small measure of disdain. "Come on, Brenhin," he hissed. "Get up."

"I heard you call for me, I just couldn't answer," Brenhin remarked with a weak laugh. Loki frowned and reached down for the servant, seizing him by the shoulders and lifting him to his feet. Brenhin cried out in pain as he steadied himself and looked back at the wall of ice, impressed with such a bold display in the name of something selfless. "There'll be no living with him, now; you know that, don't you?"

"We live here no more, Brenhin, and Darcy is clearly not safe here either," Loki said. He pushed aside the fear, anger, and confusion that wanted to take hold of him at his world once again being turned upside down. At the moment he needed to take his beloved and his new servant someplace safe. He kept hold of Brenhin's shoulder as he led the way out of the room. Brenhin did his best to keep up as they moved hurriedly up the stairs and towards Darcy's quarters. The trickster raised a hand to knock, but then thought twice about what the result would be. Instead, he raised one leg at the knee and kicked the door open forcefully, still holding onto the man. He stormed inside and found Darcy huddled in the floor in a corner, still sobbing. She gasped and stood in fear at the door bursting open so suddenly. Her eyes widened as Loki and Brenhin moved toward her. Brenhin looked positively a wreck and Loki seemed unusually angry yet terrified at something. "Come along, Darcy, now."

"What's going on? What happened to Brenhin?" Darcy shrieked. Loki reached out and took her by the wrist with his free hand, hurriedly and carefully leading both of his consorts out of the room and back towards the stairs. "Ow! Hey! Where are we going? Brenhin, what's going on?"

"He's a little incapacitated at the moment, I'm afraid," Loki muttered as he continued to hold up Brenhin and drag Darcy firmly down toward the entranceway. Darcy stopped fighting with him and kept a more effectual pace than the injured servant.

"I'm burned, not mute, thank you," Brenhin groaned in reply. "And Eldred is on the rampage for the rest of his unnatural life. He'll kill all of us after he has what he needs from Loki."

Darcy turned to her lover and stared at him in shock. "He's going to kill his apprentice? Why?" she asked as they made their way back to the circle of energy where Loki had done most of his departing and arriving from Sylvanheim. "Wait, where are we going? I know we've got to escape and what not, but where are we going to go if you can't go home?"

"I may not be able to go home just yet," Loki said as a smile formed over his lips. He looked back down at Darcy, this sudden change in pace and events making him feel strangely powerful. Maneuvering out of trouble was something he fully excelled at and now Darcy would see him play both the cunning sorcerer as well as the hero. "But you can." With that, the trio disappeared and, to Brenhin's dismay, headed straight for Midgard.


	32. Temporarily Relieves

Chapter 32: Temporarily Relieves

The group appeared on the surface of Midgard, all of them gasping for breath after the ordeal in the fortress. Darcy realized that whatever her heart rate had been before the journey had commenced, it was at least twice that now. She grasped her chest and stared harshly at Loki who was taking in their surroundings as if they had come to appear in the wrong part of earth. Brenhin cried out and suddenly slunk to the ground with Loki still gripping one of his arms. He knelt beside the servant, frowning. Darcy hurried to his other side and tried to think of how best to render aid, she couldn't even be sure of what had exactly happened to him. He had mentioned being burned, but she hadn't seen the wound itself. The trickster turned and looked at Darcy sadly.

"I am sorry," he said softly. She stared back in confusion.

"Really?" she asked. He continued to look back at her with earnest regret. She furrowed her brow. "Why?"

"I wounded you somehow and for that I apologize," he said.

Darcy sighed and folded her arms, realizing that not only did the trickster have Brenhin well managed for the time being, but that he was still completely oblivious to why she had been angry in the first place. He waited for a moment, watching her expression with hopeful anticipation. Darcy shook her head and turned away. "You are unbelievable; you really don't know what was wrong with what you did," she said angrily. "You can't for two seconds think about anyone else but yourself, can you?"

"I just did, I apologized," he said defensively. "I still don't quite know what it was that I did that upset you." Brenhin groaned loudly and lurched forward, tensing his muscles instinctively as he felt a sharp stab of pain shoot through his chest and arm. Loki gripped him more tightly and tried to get him to stand once more. Brenhin tried to lift himself, but found it too tiring. He slumped forward yet again, but this time Loki didn't follow him. He stayed upright and waited in exasperation for Darcy to finally explain what had upset her. She shook her head, folding her arms and glaring at him. He sighed. "How can I make you happy if you won't tell me what you want from me."

"You know what you did, stop pretending like you don't!" she cried. "And anyways I don't want you to make me happy I just want you to stop doing stupid, selfish stuff."

"Why can't you just tell me what I did, shout it at me if you must, but say it instead of withholding it like some great secret," he said, the anger beginning to grow beyond his control. She scoffed and turned away once more, taking in the sight of where they had landed. This was somewhere on the eastern coast, if the smells and signs in the distance on certain ships and the docks themselves were what she thought them to be, then they were along the coastline of New Jersey or New York. She noted a bright skyline in the distance; New York, definitely. "Whatever the case may be to please you, I will do whatever you ask if you will just tell me what it is," he continued, stifling the anger rising within him. It had never served him in the past to allow anger to take hold while he was speaking to her, but the trickster was finding it terribly difficult to keep the rage from taking hold of him. Still, if it meant having Darcy satisfied and being back in good standing with the woman he had come to love then he was willing to suppress any emotion or urge.

"Look, if you can't see what you did that was wrong, then I don't want to be the one to explain it to you or have to put up with your kind of ignorance," she said indignantly. Loki growled a little. The sound was overshadowed by another painful groan from Brenhin. He glanced down at the servant, frowning, and watched Darcy take a few steps toward the city in the distance. "We can't stay out here."

"I have to get Brenhin to safety," Loki reasoned aloud. "He could die if left like this."

"There should be a hospital not far from here; they're pretty easy to find," she said with a shrug.

"I doubt that humanity would offer the kind of care that he needs. When I've found shelter for us, I can see to him." he replied. Darcy glanced back at him and then down at Brenhin, shaking her head. "Go and find me some . . ."

"Oh, no you don't. I'm not helping you anymore, not if you can't even think before you open your stupid mouth to your brother. I'm back where I belong and I'm staying here," she said. Loki lifted one brow at her. "What?"

"You're going to stay here? Without shelter or food beside the ocean, truly?" he asked with a laugh. Darcy growled and began to walk away. "Very well, then. I will send for you when Brenhin is recovered and you are in better spirits. Steer clear of ruffians and thieves; I'm in no position to rescue you and save my servant's life."

"Bite me!" Darcy shouted over her shoulder as she stormed off toward the city. The conflict within her was too overwhelming for even her natural concern to keep her beside Brenhin. Besides, he hadn't seemed as though he was in mortal danger. There was no sign of blood loss and no gaping wound that she could see.

The trickster shook his head and turned back to Brenhin, noting that the man's skin was growing pale and cold everywhere but around the wound. He frowned and placed an arm under either shoulder. He thought for a moment about how he could maneuver with the servant and get to a suitable shelter. He was charismatic and had a great deal of magic at his disposal. If he could get to one of the Earth's Avengers that hated him somewhat less than the others then he was sure he could charm them; perhaps that Hill woman he had seen aiding the one-eyed Fury. No, she was a mother and mothers tended to be most cautious and violent with children present. The children were another factor, a factor he hated. One of them was a doctor which was close to a physician which was similar to a healer. No, the doctor was also a monster parading as a human and he seemed to have hated him more than even Stark had. A woman would be more suitable in persuading and healing, perhaps the red-haired Natasha. No, she also had a penchant for his blood being slowly and painfully drained from his body. Brenhin groaned loudly again and shifted. Loki sighed heavily and continued to go through the list of humans he had already asserted power over. None of them were truly vulnerable or essentially gullible; for that matter none of them wanted to do good for its own sake without creating a scene except perhaps that insufferable, irritating . . . "Oh no," he groaned, matching another painful moan from Brenhin who was growing more restless with each moment as he realized they were on earth. "It will have to be that ninny Rogers. He's the only nitwit selfless enough to assist without question and not go running off to any of the others."

"I don't care who renders aid as long as I don't have far to walk," Brenhin muttered. Loki carefully knelt, re-situating the servant so that he now lay over the trickster's back as he stood on his hands and knees. He drew in a deep breath and willed his form to change into a beautiful, black mare. Brenhin felt the shift and grunted in pain as the trickster's form lifted them higher off the ground and started to trot toward the outer rim of the city where Steve Rogers had made his home after such a long absence. Brenhin glanced down at his new master's disguise and chuckled. "If we're on Midgard, Loki, you only need four legs. Eight is rather conspicuous, don't you think?"

"That wound must be clouding your senses. Your vision is askew, my friend," Loki replied as they hurried toward the city. "I only have six."

(*)

Darcy muttered to herself and rubbed her shoulders frantically as she made her way toward the city. "Stupid, brainless, selfish boob," she said to herself. "Acts like he's so innocent, like nothing happened. I gave myself to him like I'll never be able to do for anyone else! Jerk . . . ass . . . jerk-ass." A few cars passed as the road she was following turned into a busier highway. She heaved a sigh and held out one hand. She had never tried to get a ride from the road before, and it wasn't as glamorous as it seemed on television. Each time a car passed the cloud of exhaust that followed seized her throat which made her cough and gag. Her sight had even begun to suffer as she felt both eyes swelling, itching, and watering. It occurred to her that she might also have been passing some breed of grass that she was allergic to. It was too dark to tell exactly where she was going and what was around her, but she was too unsettled to just stop. The anger from Loki's exploit, the fear from escaping from the threat of his master, then arriving suddenly back on earth had jumbled everything in her usually organized mind. A few tears, both from the irritants and from the surge of emotions, forced their way to the surface.

She wiped her eyes furiously and held out her hand yet again. The car this time sped past while hurling a drink cup at her. Darcy shrieked as the cup hit her chest and sprayed the fluid up into her face as well. She growled and cried out as she used her sleeves to try and wipe the fluid away. Instinctively she reached down and picked up the cup. She darted slightly into the road, shaking the cup in the air as the car disappeared into the night. "Hey! Littering is a crime, blockhead!" She cursed silently, feeling more displaced, confused, and tired than ever before. She allowed her arms to drop back down to either side and turned back to walk toward the city. A bright pair of headlights and the sound of a horn, dangerously close, suddenly met her. The sight and sound came only seconds before the grill of the car hit her midsection. Darcy was so caught off guard that she didn't have time to scream. Instead, she gasped, the air she had drawn in immediately knocked out of her as she tumbled over the hood of the car and then back onto the asphalt in front of the vehicle. It stopped with an uncomfortable jolt for the driver. She heard the door open, but realized she was essentially unable to move. _Great, just perfect_, she thought. _This is a great ending to an already enchanting evening. What else can go wrong_?

"No, I'll have to call you back, I just hit someone. Oh, God, I am so screwed; this is at least five traffic violations," a familiar man's voice said in the distance. Darcy's mind was jumbled, but she realized that she was able at the moment to think more clearly than she had been able to do in several weeks. That voice; she had heard it in New Mexico, but she couldn't remember where exactly. She felt the man kneel beside her and begin feeling for a pulse as he shone a flashlight over her face. "No way," she heard him mutter. _Please don't let me be dead this quickly_, she prayed silently. "Don't move, Miss Lewis, Help is on the way." Darcy's eyes flickered under their respective lids as she recognized the voice. It had belonged to that government guy that had confiscated their research. He still had her iPod, now that she thought about it. She heard him fumble with the phone and press one button to dial a frequently used number. "Just hang tight with me and don't stop breathing," he said, squeezing her shoulder. She groaned, prompting a smile from the man. "Sir? It's Coulson; I need an ambulance on Highway 380 west of the South Brooklyn Freeway at marker 277; I had a small accident, but the victim doesn't seem fatally injured and sir . . . you're never going to believe this; it's Darcy Lewis."

(*)

"I really think he should go to a hospital and I am really not comfortable with this!" Rogers said furiously. Loki helped Brenhin lie down on the single-sized bed in the basement. The cloud of influence he had summoned gave them time only to get inside and convince him they needed to stay with him for one night. Even this nitwit seemed to have a stronger mind than most humans. At least he had been able to hold influence over him when looking into his eyes. He knew he had to spare most of his magic to heal this wound on Brenhin. While his powers were immense, he was exhausted and thoroughly worn out after the ordeal on Sylvanheim. He hadn't slept in three days and it was starting to take more of a toll than he had anticipated. "Why the hell are you here anyway? Your father finally beat you senseless and banish you here permanently?"

"I killed my father, thank you very much, and I already told you that I need a place to allow my friend to recover," Loki replied angrily.

"You really have no shame do you?" Rogers snapped back. "You'll do just about anything as long as there's something in it for you."

"Do you have any water or don't you? I thought America was a land of kindness," Loki said firmly, shaking his head as he turned back to Brenhin and slowly pulled the servant's robes away from the wound. "Try to breathe calmly, old friend. This shouldn't be too painful."

"Really, I can call an ambulance. He looks like he's on his last leg," Rogers continued, feeling a little anxious for the incapacitated man, something he hadn't expected. "I don't want to do this, but I'm gonna have to call someone if you don't get him some real help."

"I believe I asked you for water . . . now!" Loki shouted, exuding a little more force over the man. Rogers frowned and shook his head, walking back up the stairs. He couldn't explain why, but he felt obligated to help the trickster and the wounded servant. He knew he could always call on the others if things got out of hand, but something internal told him that assisting Loki was the right thing to do. The sorcerer sighed heavily and removed the last layer of clothing from the man's shoulder. He suddenly noticed that the burns were more widely spread. His stomach lurched and he pulled more cloth away, revealing that Eldred had wounded him from the tips of his fingers on his right hand, down to a large burn that covered his chest. Loki stifled a gasp at the sight of the red and blackened flesh, twisted and bleeding in some areas. "Oh, Brenhin, what a mess."

"Your mess, you ungrateful scamp," Brenhin muttered. He was beginning to shudder as a second wave of shock began to wash over him. "Better me than you; at least I won't take days to recover, whining and weeping about how miserable I make myself."

"Save your strength and your insults, old man," Loki said as he summoned the casket to himself once more. It hovered in front of him, causing the trickster's features to turn their natural blue and to show their birth markings as his eyes glowed crimson. He leaned forward and exhaled, softly drawing both hands over the servant's wounds as icy breath flowed from him. Brenhin gasped and held his breath momentarily as the cold soothed the wounds. He closed his eyes and felt the fever leaving him. As soon as the wound had been significantly cooled, Loki willed the casket to appear back in the vault and then began to gather as much energy from the planet as he could to heal. Brenhin smirked. The trickster noticed it instantly and frowned. "What is it?"

"I was just remembering the last time you had to salve one of these; you were convinced that you could summon a dragon to eat Eldred and that if you ate its heart in return you could absorb the old man's powers, but you decided against it afraid you would adopt his unpleasant features as well," Brenhin remarked. "So many plans to undo Eldred's cruelty, and not a one you were willing to take a risk with."

"Some things are too difficult to plot over years; they require a spontaneity that I haven't the desire to use on anything that dull," Loki replied as he grasped the man's right hand, wrapping the fingers of one hand around his and then placing his other hand along the farthest edge of the burn on his chest. Brenhin grunted in pain as the trickster's energy pulsed into his own body, healing the burn slowly. "Besides, I have my mind on other things for the time being."

"She is lovely, isn't she?" Brenhin commented through gritted teeth. He drew in a sharp breath and exhaled quickly. "I'm sure she'll come around after a day or so back in her own world. I could sense it, she didn't really miss her home. You both have that natural desire for adventure."

"I have better plans than to just let her sit and stagnate in a world void of proper conversation and sound creativity," he muttered. He felt the power it took to heal someone supra-human leaving him too quickly. He gasped and assessed how much he had been able to do for Brenhin. The burn was now isolated to the shoulder and arm. It would be uncomfortable but not life threatening. The two heard someone descending the stairs and glanced back. Rogers brought a large first aid kit, obviously usually used by a military convoy gauging the size and extensive contents they saw in it as he opened it, and a large pitcher of water. A drinking glass and a small basin containing a set of cloths already sat on the bedside table; both were filled as Rogers set the pitcher on the table. Loki watched him carefully and Rogers seemed to be doing the same, their gazes both appraising the intentions and current weaknesses of the other. The trickster sensed that their host, although wary of the two guests, was not at all intending on revealing them to anyone else. The relief in this almost made him calm enough to feel the full effect of his exhaustion and it also made him unusually beholden to this enemy. He bowed his head to the man for a moment. "Thank you. I truly appreciate this gesture of compassion for myself and my friend."

"If anyone asks, it never happened," Rogers muttered as he walked back towards the stairs. "There are a couple of C-Rations in the closet over there and some bottled vitamin water. You'll probably want to give him something to keep off infection and to help with that pain before you dress that, they're in the syringes just make sure you get him in a large muscle instead of just through the skin."

"Thank you," Loki repeated more firmly. Rogers nodded solemnly and then hurried back up the stairs. As soon as the two were alone once more, Loki shuffled through the contents of the first aid kit, taking out the cloth bandages, cleansers, salve, and two syringes that contained medicine he was sure had been fashioned from the blood of a crystal dragonfly. He had seen these used by other humans when observing their healers from a distance. He turned Brenhin and forced the sharp objects both into his left thigh. Brenhin grunted and coughed a little in pain, but remained motionless as his new master began dressing the wound cautiously. "You should get some rest, Brenhin. There will be precious little time before Eldred seeks us out, I am sure."

"And how do you plan to collect your woman before he begins his search?" Brenhin asked. Exhaustion and the relief from suffering were summoning him to give in and fall asleep before he could utter another syllable.

"In the usual fashion; a great deal of intellect and a little cunning," Loki replied as he finished dressing the wound. He pulled the covers over the servant and watched the man settle into a peaceful slumber for the first time in years. He envied him and turned back to the staircase, contemplated going back upstairs now that Brenhin was at rest, and setting out after Darcy. Instead, he decided it best to let his mind and body settle into the same rest that Brenhin was enjoying, There would be plenty of time to discover what it was that had caused the upheaval in her and to woo her back as well before he needed to defend her life yet again. At least, for now, Brenhin would be along to keep the focus light-hearted.


	33. For You, My Son

_(((Just a little necessary fluff for brotherly development before Loki starts trying to win back Darcy, win a position as a hero among the citizens of New York, and screw with Eldred's mind. As with most of my fictions, the title and the next sequence are based on something that happened to me. I don't actually remember the incident that inspired this, but I have heard the story repeatedly from both my parents; when I was born . . . 28 years ago today . . . my brother was allowed to come in and see me. He has always been and always will be my first superhero; he looked down at me in my mom's arms and then boldly asked her what Thor will ask Frigga in relation to Loki and my mother replied exactly as I had Frigga do here! Thanks for messing with my head, bro, and introducing me to the world of Myths and Legends . . . and for being the only sibling that will actually read my work! You rock, dude!)))_

Chapter 33: For You, My Son

Drifa admired the sight of Jane sleeping peacefully after having taught her the five steps to dreamfasting between humans. She had explained that it was far more complicated to reach an immortal, but Jane had been satisfied to try and reach Darcy and no one else for the time being. She thought to herself that if it worked she would also speak with Selvig, but that could wait until she had spoken to her friend and made sure she was safe and well. Drifa strode slowly out of the room that Jane had been given, a smaller room directly adjacent to her beloved Thor's. Drifa glanced into the thunder-warrior's room. She frowned a little as she noticed him sitting on the edge of his own bed, cradling his head in his hands as he tried to contemplate a way to get his brother to come home. How could he have said something so cold? He has no home? Thor knew that he and his friends had been a little more cruel than they were to one another toward Loki, but he was no more unused to it now than before. Why was he so angered now? Didn't he love his brother any longer?

Drifa sighed and turned away, her eyes glowing a more brilliant white. She drew in a deep breath and willed her form to catapult through the cosmic bridges that lay invisible between the worlds. Loki and Eldred knew well all the ins and outs of these bridges, but Drifa had learned of them long before the trickster and shortly after his master. She calmly landed within the atmosphere, summoning the room where the trickster and his servant had been allowed to stay for a short time. She smirked, amused at how Loki would have to rely on the noble and compassionate nature of Captain Rogers until Brenhin was healed. No doubt by the end of the whole ordeal the sorcerer would be indebted to the man, but at the moment he was irritated beyond belief. The oracle silently moved past one side of the bed where the servant lay sleeping and over to the other where Loki sat, leaning against the bed and listening carefully to make sure that his friend was still breathing. Seeing him so wounded had made Loki wary of the man's frailties which, the last vision Drifa had given him said, were essentially Loki's fault as well. Had the man not given him whatever virtues had been bestowed on him, he might have been strong enough to stand against Eldred.

"I doubt even as an elf who had not sacrificed his own birthright that he would have stood against Eldred as boldly as you have," she remarked quietly. Loki opened his eyes and sat more upright. His eyes narrowed into a glare at her. She sighed. "Oh, come now, is that any way to behave toward your rescuer?"

"Rescuer?" he scoffed. "Since when are you anyone's rescuer?" She lifted one brow at him and the memory of how she had healed Darcy's maimed hand and showed him more truthful images from his past came to mind. He shuddered as he also remembered that she had asserted, when asked where Jane was, that Jane was on earth. She had indirectly revealed that Darcy was not Jane and had yet to mock him for the mistake. He groaned. "My friend is trying to recover and I am trying to sleep. What do you want now?"

She stepped forward, once again appearing more as an innocent little girl than an all-knowing oracle. He scooted backwards as she knelt beside him and smiled brightly, reaching up and softly stroking the side of his face with her small hand. He didn't pull away and decided against demanding that she stop, which was his first inclination. Oddly, her touch was soothing and he was suddenly reminded of his mother. He missed Frigga terribly and was practically moved to tears remembering that he had wounded her as well. Drifa withdrew her hand and scooted closer, turning to the side and leaning against him, settling her head just below his heart. He froze for a moment, unsure of what she was hoping to accomplish and then looked down at the crown of her milk-white-haired head. She breathed calmly and placed a hand on his side, softly embracing him as if he was her own father or brother. He shifted a little uncomfortably, but didn't try to move either further away or closer to her. She grinned and closed her eyes, stroking him gently. "I have something else to show you," she said in a hushed tone. He groaned and rolled his eyes, loathing the concept of seeing yet another terrible sequence from his sordid past. She grinned brighter and wrapped her other arm around him, turning her head and climbing onto his lap. He sat confused for a moment and then felt overwhelmingly irritated with her feigned innocence. He stood immediately, but Drifa did not compensate quickly enough. She started to fall and, instinctively, the trickster leaned forward and caught her, holding her to him while she still kept both arms around him and her head against his chest, her eyes closed as though she was about to drift right off to sleep. She nuzzled his chest and sighed. "You've always been loved, you know. You brought joy to the royal family in a manner you can't imagine."

"And I suppose you're going to show me the moment I was brought back from Jotunheim and I'll see how excited Frigga was to receive a trinket from Odin's latest slaughter," he snorted indignantly. "And then you'll show me how overjoyed she was to have another child and it will endear her to me after seeing how Marya tried to rid herself of me."

"Marya wanted to rid herself of Laufey, neither Odin nor Frigga saw you as a trinket, and I have no intention of showing you the moment you arrived," she sighed, snuggling a little closer. Loki groaned, but it didn't seem right to drop her or toss her to the ground. She clenched both fists around the bits of green tunic in her hands. "This is the night that followed."

Loki noted that the darkened basement in Brooklyn had suddenly changed into the darkened royal nursery in Asgard. The room was alongside the queen and king's and two maidservants lay sleeping on a bed on the farthest side of the room. The room was very quiet and Loki was a little confused that the room had been prepared in just one day (if Drifa was to be believed at the moment and there was little reason not to) after Thor having been relocated to another room all at once. He himself hadn't been moved out of the nursery until he had been the equivalent of a four-year old. The notion that he had, in fact, also been fed all those years by Frigga herself started to make him feel a little strange. He shook his head and watched a small figure creep into the room, their shadowy form hurrying to the enormous cradle that served both princes in turn. He watched carefully, furrowing his brow in confusion. If this had been an assassin, then the guards were entirely inept. No, this creature had seemed far too small. Could it have been Brenhin? No, still too small and there was nothing that told Loki Brenhin had been in Asgard at all even with his lover's child being kept there. Drifa giggled a little and pressed her head more firmly against his chest. "Go and see who's come to visit you."

"Why are you showing me something so inconsequential? Nothing significant could have possibly taken place this night," he said in a harsh whisper, instinctively wanting to keep his voice low at the sight of others sleeping in this usually quiet room. "This is trivial at best and I still need to rest."

"Your body is asleep right now, stop complaining," she hissed in reply. She sighed again and pulled him closer. He groaned and took three steps carefully toward the cradle. The cradle was much larger than anything even royalty on Midgard or Alfsheim had seen. A child could have slept comfortably within it and had two friends on either side of them. He narrowed his eyes as he watched the figure that had entered, a child lingering beside the cradle and trying to look into it unwaveringly. "Go ahead, he won't hear you or see you, remember?"

"Who in the nine realms . . ." Loki whispered. As he continued to move forward and came to stand only two feet away from the cradle, he recognized the child trying to get a better look at the sleeping infant version of himself. He gasped softly. "Thor."

"He's trying to get a better look at his brother," Drifa said with a playful giggle.

Loki ignored her comment and moved even closer, standing at the cradle's bedside and watching the much younger version of his brother as he climbed into the cradle itself, settling beside the new addition to his family. He breathed deeply as Thor looked over the baby happily. He seemed absolutely giddy to be next to the new prince. "Hello, little brother," Thor whispered tenderly. The infant cooed and stretched as he awakened and looked into the glistening blue eyes of his older brother and protector. "Mother and Father say your name is Loki. My name is Thor. We're going to grow up together so I want us to be friends now, okay?"

The infant chortled happily, gurgling and reaching up toward his older sibling. "You're still too small, but when you're a little bigger I'll show you everything; the palace, the gardens, the horses, and all the books in the library. I'll even show you the secret path out to the Bifrost. That's the bridge to the other worlds, you know."

"Thor, what are you doing in here at this hour?" Frigga asked softly. She had entered the room after sensing the stir. Loki's heart fluttered at the sight of the woman as he would always remember her; fresh and feminine and fiercely kind. She gently reached down and pulled the soft blankets around her new son before helping Thor back out of the cradle. He stood beside her, standing on his toes to continue looking in the cradle at his brother. Loki realized that Thor must have also been about four years old by human reckoning here. Frigga grinned at her firstborn's curiosity and the love he was already harboring toward this new little brother. She placed a hand on his shoulder and looked down at them both. "Someday you two will be the most incredible heroes this realm has ever seen."

"Really? I can't wait to be a hero," Thor said softly. His innocent words and simple tone tugged relentlessly at the trickster's heart. Loki felt warmth spread through his features and he unconsciously pulled Drifa close to him, cradling her head against him with one hand. He was too suddenly overwhelmed to even be moved to tears. The infant in the cradle cooed once more, then yawned and closed his eyes falling asleep yet again. Thor looked up at his mother earnestly concerned. "Mother, is he for me?"

Frigga chuckled and patted her elder son's head. She lovingly took him by the hand and led him away from the sleeping infant Loki. "Yes, my son," she said kindly. "Yes, he's just for you." With the last few words, the vision of the nursery faded into nothing. Loki realized that he could still look down and see Drifa asleep in his arms, but there was nothing else to be seen. She sighed and snuggled all the closer, grinning and enjoying the wonderful sight she had just shared with Loki. The trickster settled back into the darkness, realizing that Drifa was right and he was definitely asleep back in the basement. For the first time in years, he suddenly felt as though at least once in his life he had been more than loved, he had been admired by his brother.


	34. A Benign Threat

_(((This will be the longest fiction I've ever written, but the ending I've already written will be worth the ten extra chapters from here! Thanks for the birthday sentiments, readers!)))_

Chapter 34: A Benign Threat

Drifa shifted and groaned, pulling Loki's sleeve more tightly to her. Loki groaned and felt sleep swiftly drift away from him. He felt Drifa's warmth and small heartbeat against him and he sighed in irritation, rolling his eyes and leaning back against the bedside and gripping his forehead. He felt her breathe deeply and roll to the other side, still laying against him and trying to go back to sleep. He contemplated setting her aside, but was still computing the information in the vision he had been given. It had been more than wonderful to see Frigga again and it had been so very good to see Thor as he had been before young adulthood, before he had joined in with the cruelty of the rest of Asgard, before they had begun to compete for their father's affection. Things had changed, drastically, for both of them.

"Cute kid; where's the mother?" Rogers said, his comment interrupting both the trickster's thoughts and the oracle's attempt to slip back into the peace of sleep. Loki sat more upright and looked at the captain standing beside Brenhin, looking over the servant with concern and obviously having noticed Drifa's presence.

"Her mother is dead . . . I am told," Loki replied softly.

"Oh," Rogers said with a saddened tone taking him. "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?" Loki asked in confusion. Rogers lifted a brow at him and then nodded toward Drifa. Loki's mind finally put aside interpreting the vision of his mother and brother and then quickly interpreted the notion that the captain thought Drifa was the trickster's child. A look of instinctive horror crossed the trickster's face. "She is _**not**_ mine," he corrected firmly. Roger's gave him a reproachful glance, clearly not convinced. Loki shook his head and decided that the moment Brenhin was able to walk fully healed or not, they needed to leave and collect Darcy in the process. Once the group was rejoined and refreshed, they could go back and do whatever was necessary to remove Eldred. He liked Sylvanheim and the insurmountable power that naturally flowed through the atmosphere; with Eldred gone he would have everything that belonged to the old man by old laws regarding apprenticeship. In the meantime there was something equally as powerful and troubling to deal with, namely the oracle. He groaned and tried to pull her away from him to set her down. She grunted and clung more tightly to him. He frowned and sighed, standing without taking hold of her. To his chagrin, she remained clinging to him and was able to do it efficiently. "She belongs on Asgard and she's much older than she looks." Rogers shook his head and finished tying off the end of a new bandage over Brenhin's shoulder. Loki tried once more to pull Drifa away. The oracle suddenly sat upright and glared at him.

"I was not done sleeping," she growled. "All of the work put in to try and enlighten you has exhausted me."

"No one asked you to force me into vision after arduous vision," he replied.

She folded her arms and glared at him crossly. "They were not visions, they were recollections of past happenings and you should be grateful for each and every one of them," she huffed. "There's only one left, after all and you're not doing very well in grasping the messages toward meaningful change."

"There aren't any other past happenings I want revealed to me," he said furiously, grasping both her small hands in his, pulling her arms free of him, and then dropping her onto the floor angrily. She let out a tiny shriek which prompted attention from both Rogers and the slightly conscious Brenhin. Loki ignored the instinctive chastising from both; Rogers in that he thought she was a child and Brenhin in defense of any living creature. He glared down at the girl who scowled back defiantly. "Why are you lingering this time? Surely there is someone else you can pester on a deep and sentimental level."

"Now that you're trying to rid yourself of Eldred, I want you as my apprentice," Drifa announced. Loki scoffed at this. The girl narrowed her eyes at him. "Don't you want to learn the finer points of high magic?"

"What do you think I've been doing for the past millennia?" he retorted.

"You've been with that charlatan and you've learned how to turn yourself into a badger . . . little else," she shot back.

"You disrespectful little deviling," he snarled. She remained unmoving as anger completely filled the already frustrated trickster. "I should drag you right back to Asgard and have you beaten for such impudence!"

"You were exiled from Asgard and are incapable of such orders until Odin and Frigga reclaim you," Drifa corrected. She noted the look of terrible sadness that suddenly crossed Loki's face and her expression fell. As powerful as she was, she hated the idea of saying something that made another creature sad and she hoped that by having an excuse to apologize, the trickster might see that no being was infallible. She shrank back a few inches, once again appearing more like a child than an all-powerful seer. "I'm sorry."

"Unless you can heal my friend and retrieve my woman then leave us at once," he demanded harshly.

"Brenhin doesn't want to be healed that quickly, I already asked him," she said defensively. "And Darcy is going to need to see you humbled and powerful . . . that's just not something I can do for you."

"Then you haven't really got anything I want to learn, do you?" he snapped.

"But Odin refused to apprentice you to me after Frigga promised that I would have you to tutor," she continued.

"Then take it up with him and leave me in peace!" he shouted.

"Stop yelling, it's aggravating and it's inappropriate. She's just a little girl," Rogers interjected.

Loki pointed at the super-soldier angrily. "Stay out of this, shield-bearer," he warned and then turned back to Drifa. "And you; either leave at once or I will send you on your way and it won't be pleasant."

"Nothing with you recently is pleasant," she grumbled. He reached out towards her to take her by the collar. Drifa raced forward and snatched the gold circlet from around his neck, withdrawing and holding it aloft for him to see. He growled as she giggled and darted out of his reach. "I've got your necklace, pretty princess."

"You awful little brat," he growled, lunging toward her. She shrieked with laughter and disappeared. The trickster shouted in frustration, turning back to the servant and the captain momentarily. "You stay here, Brenhin, I have something to retrieve from Asgard's oldest nuisance."

"I'm not going to argue with you about that, but do remember that she is as well-versed in magic as you," Brenhin warned as best he could manage. "Please try not to destroy anything in this realm that will earn you another good thrashing."

"You better not be starting something like you did last time; I still want to lay a world of hurt on you," Rogers added.

"Tend to my servant and be glad of the company, misfit," Loki retorted. He knew that was a delicate area with Rogers and wanted to exploit that as much as possible. He could still sense where the oracle had disappeared to and it confused him as to why she had hurtled herself to another part of the city. She was obviously just trying to aggravate him. He willed himself to follow her every movement and she could sense that he was following her. He could hear her laughter as they chased one another invisibly. She came to land in the busy Time Square that he remembered practically destroying several weeks prior. His heart began to race as he settled a few feet away, staring hatefully at her. She held up the necklace again and then tossed it up into the air. As she did so, he noticed that the entire population of humans around them stopped moving. Distracted, he looked from side to side, confused at the image of the humans suspended in time. He turned back to her, lifting both arms in confusion. "What is this? Is this yet another game or is this a display of the limitless power you want to teach me? This is useless at best."

"No it isn't. I'm preventing widespread panic," she replied with confidence and satisfaction. He narrowed his eyes at her as she grinned brightly. She pointed up to the sky and, in the distance, the trickster could see something horrific and entirely unexpected. An enormous boulder was hurtling right for the populous gathering of frozen humans. His eyes widened in terror. It was ablaze, having been ignited as it passed through the noxious layers of ozone. Drifa snickered. "They'll think it's all your fault, too!"

"You imp! This is hardly my doing!" he shouted in reply. "You've gone mad, do you hear? Mad!"

"Not as mad as they'll see you," she replied happily. He looked back up at the meteor, or whatever she had summoned to strike the city in her wake. She clearly wanted him to step in and while he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of prompting him to spring into action, he also knew that the last thing he needed was another travesty being pinned on him while he was trying to reclaim a delicate creature. He shouted and grabbed either side of his head in frustration. She snickered and summoned the golden chain back to her hand and tossed it at him. "Here's your adornment; good luck!"

"You daft fiend!" he shouted as she disappeared. He looked up at the flaming rock still growing close to the city. _This is nauseatingly cliché_ he groaned inwardly. _Just what does she expect me to do? Intercept this for them? Ha! It's her pathetic display, she should undo it_. He looked from side to side after suddenly hearing a series of screams and the noises of traffic coming back to life. He sighed heavily as the people returned to their previous state and noticed the same danger approaching them. "Damn," he growled. Several officers in uniform suddenly surrounded him and he realized that the people of the city still recognized him. He shook his head and realized that there was only one way out of this. He summoned the casket, prompting yet another series of shouting and screaming from people around him. He ignored this and concentrated on taking care of this quickly and then going to collect Darcy quickly. Wherever she was, it had to be less aggravating than this.

(*)

From the window of the S.H.I.E.L.D. facility's medical unit, Darcy and Selvig glanced outside. They had regrouped after the girl had been taken in to receive medical care. He had been sent for immediately and the two had exchanged both grateful embraces and information about what had transpired in her absence. It unsettled Darcy to think that Jane was in Asgard and that Thor had returned with her rather than coming straight away to try and find her. Then again, there was no knowing the extent of the search for her from the immortal since Loki would have been more important to seek out. Darcy had fallen asleep twice throughout the night with Eric beside her. None of the physicians looking over her knew exactly how she had survived such a hit. Darcy glanced down at her hand and then back at the window, wondering if the magic the object had left on her had protected her somehow. It also bothered her that she might have been easier for Loki to find with this marking. Eric gently grasped her hand reassuringly and the two turned away from the window, looking back at the television screen in the corner of the room. It had been weeks since Darcy had been able to enjoy any programming and it oddly didn't seem all that appealing. Eric noticed the strange passive expression on the technophile's face as he pressed a series of buttons on the remote control. He tuned in to a news station and the two stared in shock at the screen.

"Oh dear," Selvig said anxiously. Darcy gasped. "Is, is that a meteor?"

Darcy's eyes focused on a different figure situated at the forefront of the live feed. "Loki," she whispered, stunned.


	35. Demonstrated Changes

Chapter 35: Demonstrated Changes

Darcy stared in amazement at the screen as Eric Selvig did the same. "Yep, that's a meteor," Selvig said as the two remained affixed on the fleeting images of frightened citizens. The facility was not far from where the object was supposed to arrive, but it would be more protected than the open piazza where the immortal stood, summoning the casket and aiming it toward the sky.

"This can't be happening; I didn't think he'd actually stay here for more than a few hours," Darcy muttered. Eric turned and looked at her in confusion. She shook her head and turned back to him. "What? I already told you he was the one behind it."

"I'm just surprised that you aren't terrified or furious seeing just a hint of him," Selvig replied. Darcy frowned and looked away as Eric took in a concerned breath. "Darcy, do you need to see a doctor, you know, a specialist or something?" She stared back at him in equal concern. "What I mean is, did you develop any . . . feelings for him?"

"I don't have Stockholm Syndrome and I'm not a victim of mind control or psychological distress, I just want to get back finishing this job, or internship, or whatever they're going to call it at the university," she muttered, folding her arms tightly around herself and scooting back against the head of the hospital bed. "He's going to freeze it, send it to the Arctic Circle, and no one will be hurt in the process and he'll expect everyone to worship him like he's Superman or something," she predicted in a completely unemotional tone. Selvig turned and looked at her in greater concern and surprise. Her eyes didn't move from the screen as she frowned and quickly unfolded both arms, gesturing to the screen as if she was speaking to someone angrily in person. Eric turned back to the screen, astonished, as the trickster exuded a blast of blue and white energy from the casket and it did indeed reach the meteor. "Big deal, anyone else with that whatzit could do the same thing! I'm not impressed and it doesn't prove you're any better a person for doing it! You can stop a meteor, but you can't wait for five minutes after a woman's fallen asleep to be a jerk. You're a creep, a big one, and you always will be!" She faced Selvig once more who was in awe of both the unfolding heroism in the city and the display from his colleague. She frowned at him. "What?"

(*)

The meteor hesitated every few inches as the ice more than cooled it; it now formed a thick shield around it, increasing its size by several feet in circumference. He held tightly to either side of the casket and stood firmly, grunting in frustration as he felt the force of the boulder pressing against him and the land around him. There were several people, mostly officers that had tried vainly to subdue him as he had summoned the casket, that were now lying on the ground covering their heads as the meteor lingered only a few feet over them. He cried out, summoning all the strength that he could muster and released a second set of senses to determine where best to hurl this rock. There were two very large spans of ice that lay in two opposite directions on this realm. It felt as though the one to the north, the closer of the two, would be the more sensible location.

Drawing in a deep breath and crying out again, he pushed against the frozen rock with all of the might that he had summoned. Several of the people still present glanced up instinctively and then gasped at the sight of the meteor slowly rotating then changing directions. It hurtled away from the city in a large arc, leaving a cloud of thin mist and relieved panic in its wake. The people stood slowly, silently, watching the boulder disappear in the distance. Loki kept his remaining senses affixed on the meteor's position and, once he was satisfied that it had collided with the icy surface of the far north, he began to breathe once more. He ignored the clamor of grateful people around him and willed his form to disappear, instantly transporting back to where he had left Brenhin. Unfortunately, the exhaustion that had begun to take him while changing the rock's course took its full toll and he found himself unable to move any further, appearing standing several blocks away from where the servant and the captain waited for him. He was unable to summon any further magic and leaned painfully against the nearest brick wall. It collapsed under his weight and he found himself lying on the crumpled rock with a cloud of dust and debris around him.

He coughed and tried to gather what little strength he had left to stand. He managed to sit upright for a few moments, but then felt strength leave him entirely. It was too onerous to even breathe now and he bitterly wished he had the strength of his brother. That brute had never been so exhausted by an act of valor that it had practically wounded him. _No_, he thought, _There were no less than seven occasions where even mother feared he might die just from exuding strength_. Still, this was unnecessary and all the fault of the oracle, and perhaps the fruitless citizens of the mortal realm. He cursed Drifa and the mortals of the polluted and perversely large city under his breath as the darkness closed around even his unconscious mind. No doubt he would be subjected to some sort of unpleasant dream from the past that Drifa wanted him to see. _Oh well_, he thought. _At least not all of it was in vain. Now I have something magnificent to tell Darcy. She'll have to forgive me, for whatever it was, after such a display_. _She must_.

(*)

"I'm telling you, it was like I was looking at them through a glass wall; I could see them, both of them when I concentrated, but I couldn't make contact," Jane said frantically. Thor looked back at her, uncertain of what to do about the situation given the fact that the Bifrost was not yet rebuilt and the fact that Volstagg had already left to go and retrieve Loki along with Darcy. Drifa had revealed to Frigga that Loki would soon be arriving on Alfsheim, his mother's home realm, to escape the devilry of Eldred who now wanted the trickster dead. She neglected to mention exactly when the trickster would be setting off for the natural home of the elves, and had a clever scheme for the warrior's presence in the realm until Loki and Darcy would inevitably make their way to Alfsheim with Brenhin in tow. In the meantime, Jane had tried to dreamfast with both Darcy and Selvig, concentrating on her memories of them and following all of the other instructions that Drifa had given her. It hadn't worked throughout the night, but she was sure she had come close. Something had to be wrong with the two for the enchantment to fall through. The sight of the two being so close and yet separated was nothing short of a nightmare. Thor pulled her close to him as her eyes began to glisten with desperation. "He's done something to her and to Eric, I just know he has."

"Did they seem as though they were in danger?" he asked. As likely as it might have been for his brother to have done something of an unsavory nature to his captive and perhaps the man who had aided Jane as well, there weren't enough signs to use as evidence in accusing him. Thor didn't want to head out to reprimand his brother if there was no need; doing it when there had been legitimate cause for concern had been difficult enough. "What did they say to you?"

"Well, nothing really. I mean, I didn't hear anything from them except for some murmuring. All I could see were silhouettes, but I knew it was them, I just knew," she said firmly. "I want to go back and see what he's up to."

"There's nothing to tell us that he's gone back to Midgard with Darcy or attacked Eric Selvig. It was quite a task getting you here in the first place, are you sure you want to go all the way back to earth? I might not even be able to return with you until the bridge is reconstructed," he argued.

Jane frowned at him. "I just don't know why it didn't work and I can't help but feel that little worm is behind it. He wangled his way into her personal space and I don't think he's going to stop there," she continued. "Can't you ask that girl where he is and what he's doing and make her give you a straight answer?"

"I didn't even know who Drifa was until two days ago and father seems adamant about not seeking her or speaking with her. If I didn't know any better I'd think father was afraid of her," Thor remarked. "Which is unheard of."

"There must be something you can do," Jane said anxiously. "It's been weeks, your family doesn't have some sort of plan for when the little creep goes missing? This can't be the first time, not with his particular reputation."

"He's never abandoned Asgard before," Thor corrected. "He's never been this overtly a mess before, for that matter."

"Well, he's done it now and it doesn't look like he's going back to whatever normal was for him," she muttered, taking a seat a few meters away from her beloved. "This would never have happened if I hadn't let her go outside like that, I should've seen that disturbance, I should've done something."

"There was no preventing him," Thor said firmly. "Once Loki has his mind set on something, he keeps at it until he's either successful or pulverized."

(*)

"Hey mister, you look like you got pulverized by that meteor on TV. Are you dead?" a young boy asked. Loki could hear the child's voice through the lifting haze of darkness. It occurred to him that the child was likely not alone, given the fact that no responsible mother in any realm would allow their child to roam around so dangerous a city. He groaned and tried to sit upright, fighting against the pain that had gathered in his limbs. It wasn't quite as terrible as having landed in the desert, but he had expended more energy and strength than he had anticipated then had fallen onto awkward and sharp bricks in the process of trying to get back. He felt the boy take hold of his shoulder and jostle him ever so slightly, obviously not convinced that he was dead but not convinced that he was awake enough. "I think he might be in a coma or something."

"He's not in a coma, he's still breathing," another young boy said from somewhere nearby. Loki drew in a sharp breath and tried to open his eyes. He managed to get the left eye open first and the right followed slowly, but both closed almost immediately after. To his dismay, he had been able to detect at least four children nearby and none of them were Drifa. "See, he's still got both his eyes, I told you it didn't blind him."

"You can still be blind when you've got eyes," a third voice announced. Loki managed to open his eyes once more and focus them. Four children; three males and one female, all of them appearing to have been watching him for some time. More energy began to pulse through him and he was sure in the next few seconds he would be able to sit and then stand. He groaned, unable to fully growl angrily, as he felt another one of the children smacking his shoulder. "Hey, mister, can you see? You looked right at that meteor and that's like looking at the sun and my sister says that looking at the sun even during an eclipse makes you go blind. Are you blind?"

"I don't think he can answer you if he's had a head injury," the female child added. "People with head injuries can be rendered temporarily disabled or have amnesia and stuff."

"Hey mister, do you remember your name, do you know where you are?" the first child asked again.

"Of course I remember my name," he grumbled, finally managing to pull himself up on his elbows and then sit fully upright. He breathed deeply and looked at each one in turn. Two of the boys looked almost identical to the younger versions of Thor and himself although in more modern and definitely earthly clothing. The third and the girl had a complexion nearly as dark as Heimdall's, but with crystal blue eyes like his brother. The girl appeared to be the youngest and smallest in the group, probably a sister of the third boy. He shook his head and ceased analyzing the small crowd that had gathered around him. "Go home, all of you, now."

"Do you think he's physiologically stable?" the girl asked the other three.

"I still think we should've given him the tracheotomy," her brother added. "I saw mom do it to a cat when I was at the office. I have a metal pen and plenty of hand sanitizer."

"He doesn't need a tracheotomy, he's not blind Londra," the second corrected.

"Tracheotomy isn't for blind people, it's for smokers," the girl, Londra, interjected. Loki sighed heavily and tried to stand slowly, bracing himself against part of the wall still standing. The girl watched him carefully, but the other three seemed to be more focused on their unorganized argument.

"Midgard is more chaotic than I had thought," Loki muttered as he tried to take a step and suddenly felt a cold chill move through him. "Children roaming crumbling ruins and flocking to strangers for no reason whatsoever."

"If it's for smokers then how did your mom give it to a cat, Jake? Cat's don't smoke if they're not in a lab," the first complained. The trickster felt strength leave his legs, trembling as he slowly sank back to the ground with a thud. He perked up as an alarm began to sound somewhere in the distance. It was loud and repetitive in a very high and irritating tone. The four children instinctively looked upward fearfully. "Uh oh."

"That's why we were here in the first place, mister, this building is condemned. Jake saw you fall down when we were walking and he was worried you wouldn't wake up in time," Londra explained as she hurried to his side and took hold of his sleeve. "Come on, that alarm means they're going to set off the dynamite in like five minutes."

"Try one minute," Jake added anxiously. The other two turned and looked at their friend in concern. "Go see if you can get them to stop. They've gotta be out front."

The two hurried out through a door hanging from its hinges and commenced to shouting 'stop' as loud as they could manage. A muffled voice announced something through a megaphone, but none of the three left in the building could decipher what was being said. The trickster's mind raced. He might have been able to survive the blast unprotected, might. Then again he was already somewhat compromised and it behooved him to at least attempt to protect the children that had attempted, futile and pathetic as it might have been, to spare him regardless of how grating and obviously ignorant they were. He closed his eyes and quickly caught a glance of the two that had run outside. They had made it to the workers, but the explosives were, according to the now flustered foreman, on an automated timer that was not cooperating with the reverse code. Loki inhaled deeply and hurriedly knelt, pulling the two children to him and gathering the majority of the magic that he had returned to him and a great deal of energy from electronic devices nearby to form a shield around them. Oddly, he hadn't been able to manipulate the energy and information within the explosives themselves which should have been much easier than the other. The two shrieked and clung tightly to him as the ground beneath them groaned and shook madly. A cloud of debris and smoke settled over them as the ground ceased shaking. To his surprise, Loki felt more powerful than before even after expending the energy to create the shield.

"Wow! You've got superpowers!" he heard Jake exclaim after several minutes of terrified silence. "Awesome!"

"How come you fell asleep in an old building if you've got superpowers?" Londra asked innocently.

"I did not fall asleep, I lost consciousness after redirecting that farcical heap of rock she aimed at your city," he explained annoyedly. "I can only imagine what kind of horror would have ensued had I not cleaned up her mess." He took a step backward away from them. "Now go home before fate hurls another incident at me." Before he could protest, the girl threw both arms around him and grinned brightly. "Wonderful," he muttered.

"Thank you," she said kindly.

He sighed and glanced around them. The cloud was blocking any chance of children being spotted by their parents. Not good. The boy suddenly did the same and the trickster felt every nerve ending in him set ablaze with irritation. He had a distinct dislike of young children and it wasn't likely to change having to save people at every turn. This had been a record-breaking awful day made all the more uncomfortable by the waifs at either side. Loki shook his head and willed the cloud to immediately dissipate, revealing that the building was perfectly level around them. It made the trickster wonder what humans could have been thinking setting off a destructive force where others were living. Wasn't that part of what had angered the entire populace about his initial attempt to take effective control of their chaotic planet? He breathed heavily and found the strength to stand up fully. He realized that the several minutes that had passed had given the children's mother enough time to make her way to the front of the crowd near their two friends. The sight of the strange, glowing dome had kept a full-scale panic and mourning from forming in their friends and mother. As soon as the trickster heard a frightened female voice calling the names of both children, or what he assumed they must have been from the four addressing one another, he gathered more strength and energy, willing himself to re-appear at his servant's bedside. Luckily, as he found himself materializing next to Brenhin, the captain was nowhere in sight. He breathed heavily for a moment and centered himself as Brenhin appraised him.

"You look positively frazzled, Loki," Brenhin observed. "Where have you been?"

"None of your concern," he retorted, fumbling with the gold chain he realized had appeared in his hand as he had appeared in the room. He growled and finished re-clasping it to his attire and mumbling a curse toward Drifa yet again. Brenhin watched him silently, one brow raised in reproach of the youth's choice of words and secrecy. After a few moments more, the trickster stood and looked firmly at his servant who seemed to be in far better condition. "I am going to find Darcy and bring her back. Be healed by the time I return or . . . or . . ."

"Or what?" Brenhin asked in amusement.

Loki sighed and glared at him. "Or I'll leave you here to make a new life among humans," he warned. Brenhin frowned at him, still giving him a reproachful gaze. The trickster was angered and it was causing him to lose both focus and logic. This was hardly the best time for him to go and retrieve a woman already infuriated with him. He sighed. "Just, be ready to leave when I return with her."

Brenhin shook his head as the trickster disappeared. "Of course," he sighed. "I'll have some words of comfort for you when you return, of that you can be sure."


	36. Dreams and Symbols Alive

Chapter 36: Dreams and Symbols Alive

Uncomfortable silence was almost as daunting, Darcy realized, as being inside the gaping maw of a lindwurm. She shifted and breathed deeply as she sat in the vehicle. Selvig had been called back to work, the appearance of Loki in Times Square having set off a whole new investigation and set of issues for the S.H.I.E.L.D. team, but had managed to find someone to see to her in the meantime. He had assured her that, while he had closer ties to Jane and her family that Darcy was as much his concern for the time being as she was. That didn't negate any duties he had to the organization and it had been most fortunate that the obscure relative that had popped up had been powerful enough to waive the rest of the superfluous testing at the medical unit, but still incredibly distant from the girl. She glanced at him every now and then, unsure of how to address him let alone what to say to him as they drove back toward his 'tower'. He glanced over at her and smirked.

"Well this isn't weird at all, is it?" he said sarcastically.

"I saw you at a lecture at Cal-Tech once," she offered. He looked hopeful at those words. She smiled. "It was about the benefits of using surgical grade silver in particle separators."

"Yeah, the one at Berkley got cancelled," he joked. She seemed to accept this with an even bigger smile and he congratulated himself for reaching her humorously for the time being. If a person could make anyone they were trying to familiarize themselves with laugh, then the chances of having a deep bond were set thoroughly. "I was going to talk about women's issues to graduate students, but then I realized it would just end up being one long apology to various staff members."

"You're sure that was at Berkley and not Brown?" Darcy replied. He smirked and shook his head. She was returning the jests, always a good sign. She folded her arms and looked out the window, adjusting her glasses for the hundredth time. It was strange to see such a big city up close after being on Sylvanheim for weeks and then in New Mexico for weeks before that. "So, what do you do with S.H.I.E.L.D.? I mean, other than the superhero thing?"

"That's kind of the whole central purpose of the gang, even the janitors have superpowers," he remarked as they made their way slowly into the drive leading up to the quieter portion of Manhattan. "It beats working with monsters, though."

"How do you know? Have you ever worked with one?" she said playfully. She had been traumatized, rescued, reunited with a friend of sorts, and was now in the presence of family of sorts . . . her only living relative. This was all good and depressing all at the same time and Darcy thought it best to remain focused on the good for the time being. He seemed to be positively lit up at this parrying back and forth so she intended to keep it up as long as it could go on.

"As a matter of fact, I don't think he'd appreciate being called that, but Doctor Banner tends to kind of have that persona every now and then. There are some things we just can't control about ourselves and his just happens to be a not-so-jolly green giant," Stark replied. He led the way into the building and Darcy could have sworn that he looked like a child bringing home a pet. As she reached for the handle on one of the doors a flash of static zapped her hand. She gasped and withdrew it, feeling an odd stinging through the symbol magically etched onto it. She frowned as it began to throb. It had never caused pain before and she wondered if electricity had some sort of negative effect on magic. Worse, what if it had some sort of positive effect on magic and this was some of Eldred's dark magic? Tony noted her worried expression and looked more fully into her eyes. "Darcy, are you okay?"

She shook herself. "Y-yeah, I'm fine," she muttered. "Just some static, that's all."

The two walked slowly into the large apartment at the top of the elevator. Darcy said nothing about being a little wary of heights especially now that she had fallen from a great distance out of a window and had to leap with her abductor from the mouth of a wingless dragon. Instead, she took in the sights of the dwelling, things and décor that she had only read about in articles and discussed with friends online when ranting about the economic gap. She wondered if Mr. Stark was aware of any of her views or had read any of the papers she had written and published through the university. She had been less than kind to anyone with a six-figure income in any piece and she was sure that he had at least twelve figures behind his tax-bracket. She decided against asking about that and trying to make it light; it would more than likely turn sour very quickly. The rest of the evening was just as strained and awkward with the occasional five minutes of smooth banter that included witty come-backs from both. Pepper arrived at the apartment only two hours after they had settled in, such as it was, and a peculiar happening had occurred when Darcy had reached out to take her hand.

Though she wasn't sure how or why, Darcy could have sworn that she heard Pepper say aloud, "Thank God she doesn't look as moody or out there as he does. One Tony Stark is enough and the world isn't ready for a version with a different anatomy." Darcy knew that Pepper had not said this aloud because at the very same time she was taking Darcy's hand and the girl had heard this, she was simultaneously saying aloud that she was pleased to finally meet her, that there had been a long and difficult search for her, and that she was in the process of contacting the university to make sure she could return in a few weeks with the credits from the internship with Jane added to her repertoire. The whole instance had made Darcy feel faint for a few seconds, and she thought about mentioning what she had heard to both of them. She then remembered that everyone would likely be waiting for an excuse, any excuse to put her through deprogramming. She was in no mood to be held captive again even if it was in an environment meant to help her. Instead, she shrugged it away as being intuition coupled with head trauma and sleep deprivation. That could make people hallucinate hearing someone else in their head, couldn't it?

"So in the meantime, if you feel okay about it, you can stay right here with me," Tony offered. Darcy suddenly realized that he had been talking for a few moments now and she had only heard the last sentence. She shuddered and then turned to him, nodding quickly. "Yes? Good, alright." He clapped once and turned back to Pepper, nodding to her which Darcy could only assume was a signal for 'go make preparations'. Darcy suddenly noticed that one of the walls and enormous set of glass windows had temporary boarding, flimsy plastic, and reflective tape on it. She wrinkled her brow in confusion at it, straightening her glasses yet again. She knew that Tony Stark had a reputation for wild behavior, but she had never heard of him damaging property much less his own penthouse. He sighed and moved to stand beside her. With one hand he gestured toward the mish-mash. "Courtesy of Loki, God of Mischief. Thor might be able to get him to behave every now and then, but I got to get up close and personal with him on a very special occasion. Luckily I don't die as easily as other mortals."

"He must've been having a fit; when he throws a tantrum it can be devastating to all sorts of glass. I saw him break a huge mirror just because some woman rejected him long distance," she replied.

"The window wasn't the real problem," he continued. She looked more deeply at him, raising one brow inquisitively. "I was what he used to break it."

"He just hurled you through it?" she exclaimed. "Wow; whatever you said it must've really made him go ape."

"Yeah, I tend to have that effect on ne'er do wells," he said with another proud smirk. The grin faded as he turned and stared with genuine concern at her. "You know, if anything really bad happened while you were there, you don't have to keep it to yourself. That's where cancer comes from, you know, holding stuff in."

She smiled and shook her head, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll remember that, Mister Stark," she said.

"Formal talk, I feel completely under-dressed," he quipped back. For the first time since arriving back on earth, Darcy laughed. It felt liberating to be this amused and this comfortable again even if it was in a particularly odd locale with very peculiar circumstances. "You don't have to worry about formalities or familial titles or what not. Call me what feels right and won't sound offensive to small children, anything; except 'Captain' that one's taken and I don't want to usurp anyone else's hard earned honor."

"Right," Darcy said, biting her lip and looking back out the window with a sigh. "So, what are they going to do? He's probably going to lie low until Brenhin gets better. Man, I wish I hadn't left him; Brenhin, I mean. He's a good friend and now I'm really worried about him."

"Well, they've got a bigger, badder crew out looking for him so he won't be able to stay low for long. As for the other guy, no charges are currently filed against him so you'll have to act as a consultant in what to do for him," Stark replied.

Darcy nodded and sighed. The two once again stood in total silence for several minutes. He shifted at the very same moments that she did, but both made their own unique and tense movements. Finally he reached out and placed a hand comfortingly on her forearm. He knew that she was a human and therefore needed some form of comforting after this ordeal; he also knew that she was female and required much more comforting on a more intimate level than even he as estranged family could provide. He hoped to have that remedied within a few days and finally have someone to call family, someone living. She had given a brief statement about her captivity but had refused to give full details, asserting that she was neither raped nor tortured while captive. Tony had his doubts about what had really transpired, but felt it best to keep that unsaid for the time being.

Darcy could sense that there was some other form of concern that wouldn't be assuaged easily in him, something that was already trying to act filial even without just cause to be so. Still, it was nice to have someone else that reflected that kind of affection. She turned and placed her other hand over his, smiling. Her eyes widened as she heard his voice inside her head as well. This was either a powerful hallucination and she needed to sleep at once, or she had gained some kind of superpower unaware of it. Had she set off some kind of tracking device in the symbol, something that either Loki or Eldred might have used to find her? She couldn't quite make out the first two sentences Stark was thinking, too consumed in her own thoughts, but then heard quite clearly as she concentrated on his voice and shoved her own concerns away. "Oh, thank you, God, I know I don't do it enough with as many times as you're up there saving my butt day in and day out, but thank you. I might not die alone after all," he said with earnest gratitude and relief. Darcy gasped a little and felt a wave of sadness wash over her that normally would have prompted tears. The notion that he wasn't aware she had just heard his thoughts came to her, inhibiting the display even if it was a hallucination.

Tony frowned and looked her over once more. "Hey, Darcy, are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

Without a word she threw her arms around him. She momentarily thought that this was a mistake, they weren't that familiar with each other and he might start to suspect something if she got too emotional and silent at the same time. To her relief, he was overwhelmed with her affection for the moment and simply attributed this to a mood swing accompanying the stresses of the traumas she had faced. She sighed and squeezed his shoulders tightly, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. The reactor over his chest glowed and Darcy felt its pulsing. She grinned; for the first time in two years, she was holding onto a relative after a really awful week . . . or, weeks. No matter where this led in the future, she was glad to be a boon to his life for now and she was overjoyed to have someone else to lean on.

The evening that followed was more pleasant than Darcy had experienced in years. Even with parties and excursions with groups at the university, among which she consistently remained 'that geeky girl' but continued to remain with them regardless, she had yet to experience someone enjoying her company for its singular virtues. Loki had come close, but the time spent with him was also a fatal dance of cat and bigger cat trying to discern what didn't make him angry, but what also made him confused and entertained. Stark had not felt so at home or genuinely appreciated in the impersonal apartment before. Even with Pepper's company, he hadn't felt this connected to another individual and yet distant; this made for a type of social engineering exercise that was as satisfying to engage in as it was to analyze. He barely had memories of his father and mother and any semblance of family life. Now was an opportunity to make something more meaningful for someone else who had been equally deprived of parental involvement.

As Darcy slipped under the covers of the bed she had been given, literally, she thought about her first night in Sylvanheim and how bizarrely similar the anxiety she was experiencing now was. She set her glasses on the bedside table, sighing and lying back against the pillows as she resolved that the anxiety now was a more positive and temporary emotion than what she had felt after being kidnapped. Her mind drifted back to concerned questions about the trickster and the servant every few minutes. She fought away a few tears that made their way from her eyes as she assured herself that no matter where they were they were safe. If the trickster had any reason to be panicked, she was sure that he would have found her to use as leverage . . . or at least she hoped he would. She scolded herself inwardly for thinking about him and about entertaining the very idea of putting herself in such a situation. After about two hours of struggling with thoughts, tears, and memories she became too exhausted to struggle any longer and slipped gratefully into sleep. Even in her dreams, she was back on the forested realm, darting happily behind trees as she and the trickster chased one another in turn and even dodged a plum-coloured lindwurm every few moments. Brenhin was close by and, with the satisfaction she was feeling in Stark Tower, she was absolutely in heaven in dreams.

(*)

Loki hesitated outside the girl's window, watching Darcy with longing and trepidation. He had managed to escape any explanations to a very unsettled Captain Rogers after the unusual afternoon and had made sure that Brenhin was both finished lecturing and still recovering nicely when he left to feel for Darcy's presence. He had followed the draw of her natural energy to the tower and had cursed inwardly at recognizing the building. He would simply have to be silent and alert for any movements that Stark made should the issue arise. As he watched, she lay peacefully asleep on the bed, looking as mild and at rest as when he had seen her after healing the frozen hand she had suffered. He crept off the ledge and waved a hand, using a surge of power to move the thin glass aside. His powers seemed to increase the more he thought of new ways to use them, but it also exhausted him. He took a few moments to breathe quietly just inside the door, not wanting even an elevated pulse to disturb her as he moved silently into the room. After he was sure he was collected enough, he moved forward and cautiously sat down on the edge of the bed, gazing down at her with unfaltering desire. He reached down and gently touched the side of her face along her jaw. She remained unmoving as he took in the warmth he had first enjoyed when taking her hand. There was something sensual and revealing about just the feel of a mortal's skin and he had come to understand throughout years of observing and casual interludes that this was the most profound means of communicating for them.

The skin of a human was a host of languages and long-written poetry. Each region of flesh spoke and interpreted sundry dialects. Each stroke of his fingers against her mortal coil spoke with an accent thick with comfort and curiosity. If nothing else, there lay hidden a trove of innate knowledge that could be mined and brought sparkling to the surface by his tenderness. Mischief for its own sake aside, she was a wondrous well of riddles and there would be a great deal of satisfaction in solving each one. He leaned down, pulling a few strands of dark hair away from her face. Darcy breathed softly and silently, making the trickster wonder for a few moments if she was truly asleep. He reached down and cradled her face in one hand, making sure that he didn't wake her in the process, but that she did recognize his presence involuntarily. She shifted ever so slightly, aware of him on a subliminal level. Once he was sure she had adjusted to being back to her previous state of sleep in his presence he leaned more forward and tenderly kissed the top of her head, clutching a handful of hair at the base of her skull in one hand as he deepened the tenderness.

"Darcy," he whispered, "I know you'll hear me like this. I cannot undo the past and I cannot change all that I am, but I will do whatever you ask, whatever you desire to keep this splendor that you have granted me. You must speak to me; you must tell me what troubles you."

(*)

In her dream, Darcy stood before him, grasping his hands tightly as he asked her to tell him what troubled her. She furrowed her brow and looked away. "I-I just can't help thinking that you didn't want me when you found out who I was," she replied. In her dream, the trickster gave her a look of confusion. "I fall in love with you after the weirdest trauma I've ever been through, you sent a fire-breathing robot to wipe out the town for goodness sake, and then when I give you everything I have to give anyone, you let me fall asleep and just leave to go and tell your friends then come back angry at me for not being the right victim." She felt a wave of relief move through her at saying this fully to him even if it was in sleep. They moved closer to one another and she felt him reach down to her face, cradling her head gently at its base as they moved in more intimately toward one another. To her surprise he didn't lean forward and try to take another loving kiss from her. Darcy's heart raced and she felt a ray of pulsing heat stream down her entire body as he pressed his lips softly against the top of her head. "I'm not sure why this happened, or even how this happened with all the strange stuff that's been pulling me in every direction, but I can't stand being away from you." She felt him tighten his grip on her head and she felt another smaller ray of warmth radiate from his palm throughout the rest of them. She closed her eyes, sure that if she looked now that they would both be glowing like a set of flares.

(*)

The trickster felt a sudden, sharp increase in her pulse and breath. He froze, trying to discern what it was that had prompted this. She was set apart from the majority of most humans, much like the other younger mortals he had encountered, in that he couldn't easily search her mind for thoughts or feelings. Selvig had been easy enough to sway primarily because of his fear; fear for Jane's safety after being introduced to Thor, fear for earth after an attack by Loki himself, and fear of S.H.I.E.L.D. and their secretive intentions. Fear was a weakening agent used by sorcerers since time immemorial and it had proven most useful in collecting the tesseract with information from Selvig. Now, when he wanted more than anything to gently encourage Darcy to forgive and turn toward a new future without reminders of the past incidents on Sylvanheim, he was essentially powerless. Even in trying to learn what kind of thoughts and expressions whirled in her unconscious existence, she seemed to well protected, too alert to allow him entrance. This troubled him. Humans were usually most malleable asleep or deprived of it and neither seemed a factor for halting Darcy's strength.

He focused his energy cautiously and pressed his cheek against her head, reaching down and taking her hand in his. Had he the foresight to remember which hand had been marked by the Norn Queen's Eye, an issue that he had foolishly overlooked, ignoring its implications in the name of her mortal frailties, he might have taken her shoulder or indeed her other hand in his own. But as fate knew that the issue was pressing on both the two as well as their respective realms (Loki now having at least three to his heritage), and the trickster mindlessly grasped the marked hand in his own, wrapping his pale fingers around hers and clasping it tightly. Light flashed around him and he felt a strange sensation move through every cell that formed him. He realized in an instant that, while he was still on the bed with Darcy, the bed appeared to be in the middle of the forest on Sylvanheim. Not only had the location changed, Darcy was sitting upright, fully dressed, and looking around in similar confusion. She had seen the flash as well and simply attributed this to being another more peculiar part of the dream.

The trickster heard clearly the sounds of several birds and other creatures in the forest as a breeze moved past them. Their eyes met and they stared at one another fearfully for a few moments. Loki suddenly realized that the strange sensation filling him was stemming from his hand, the hand he had used to grasp hers in return. Without a word he looked down, taking her hand by the wrist in his other hand and turning it over firmly. Darcy breathed sharply as he stared down at the symbol still left by Norn magic. His eyes widened as he noticed that the symbol's edges were warping and surging somehow, a rainbow of odd colours contorting within the etching as if the cloud he had fallen into was somehow sealed in the mark. He couldn't explain how, but there was living magic now pulsing through her hand. It occurred to him as well that they had managed to appear in Sylvanheim and that this was no vision at all. He reached forward and took hold of her by both shoulders, hoping that he had the strength to transport everything back to Midgard. He closed his eyes as Darcy stammered anxiously, trying to think of something to say, albeit at a bad time. As they began to move back into the cosmos, Loki recognized a figure in the forest watching them. He shuddered; it was Eldred. He knew that the trio had left, but hopefully he hadn't just seen that Darcy had taken the Norn magic in hand. As they materialized in the mortal world, Darcy finally found the voice to speak, but couldn't make full sentences. Lights came on in the rest of the dwelling, prompting the trickster to finalize anything that would transpire between himself and his companion. He groaned and took her by the shoulders once more.

"Darcy, listen to me," he said firmly. "Whatever you do, do not touch anything with living energy . . . with,_** blast**_ what do your people call it . . . electricity, with this hand." He quickly took her hand at the wrist and held it up, allowing her to see the symbol still glowing. She frowned and looked at him in concern. "I will ask a few questions and we will solve this quickly, but in the meantime do not take hold of . . ."

"Is everything okay? Darcy?" Stark said from a few feet outside the door. He had heard the bed make a loud thump as it reappeared in the room several inches above the floor and he had seen a strange light from under the door as well.

Darcy turned back to the trickster, still trying to form a meaningful phrase. Loki growled in frustration and pulled her to him, quickly and deeply kissing her as the handle on the door turned. She reached out to his shoulder and squeezed it tightly, grasping his tunic in a plea for him to stay a moment longer. The request was instantly denied as the door opened and the trickster vanished. Darcy let out a small cry and felt another wave of tears forming. Had it all been a dream or only part of it and if so, which part? She looked down at her hand as her cousin inquired repeatedly about what had happened, looking around the room and out the window hurriedly. Darcy quietly replied that it had been a dream, also finding it difficult to explain how she had managed to get fully dressed so quickly as she still sat on the bed. After assuaging his concerns, Darcy felt the world go back to a quiet, calm night. She breathed deeply and looked out the window, hoping that she could easily fall back asleep and summon him back to her. _Maybe_, she thought, _this symbol has all the same powers he does. That means __**I**__ can go looking for __**him**__ . . . in the morning_.


	37. Chastened, Bowed, and Unchanged

Chapter 37: Chastened, Bowed, and Unchanged

The servant had remained alert until the trickster returned and by the exhausted expression on his face coupled with a gaze that was heavy with defeat, Brenhin knew instantly that things had not gone as well as the sorcerer had hoped. Loki remained silent for several moments, busying himself in seeing about Brenhin's wounds instead of speaking to him. Brenhin shook his head and sighed as the trickster removed the bandaging around his wounds. The sorcerer's eyes glowed brilliant red and he glowed a faint shade of blue as he breathed out onto the healing wounds once again. This time the cold felt more soothing and there was little pain to make it as uncomfortable as the first time. "I told you the girl was going to be tricky to deal with at best, but you wouldn't listen to me," he said. Loki sighed and ignored him as he continued to rant. "Between you and Thor the line of immortal royalty is going to halt in a whirlwind of chaos and female confusion. What is it about mortals that makes you younger men swoon so easily? She's lovely, I'll give you that, and pleasant to speak with, but to be so consumed with something that fleeting . . ."

"Why did you never tell me about my mother?" Loki asked suddenly. Brenhin grew very quiet and shrank back a few inches. The trickster looked deeply into his friend's eyes and spoke more slowly, sternly. "I saw what you were; a herald or a messenger scribe, why keep silent about something so incredibly significant?"

Brenhin searched the trickster's eyes momentarily, reading that an underlying question he didn't have the heart or voice to ask was 'why didn't you take me'. He sighed and reached forward, taking his new master's hand and squeezing it. "Marya was, _**is**_, the most wonderful creature that ever lived. She was as strong and knowledgeable as her father and it was rumored that he would someday bequeath the throne to her. Still, in the wake of all that happened, it was overwhelming for me to lose her and I had memories to comfort me. It would have killed you to have known her loss then," he replied. Loki continued to stare firmly at him, wanting him to dispense with the sorrow of her loss and explain himself. The servant had less of a right to mourn for her after disappearing in the wake of her death. He sighed once more. "No, I didn't think it right for you to endure the tragedy of her loss, particularly at such a tender age, and your parents agreed."

"Then you did try to speak with me, but Odin refused?" Loki asked, a little confused as to why Odin would have allowed the information to exist unchecked.

Brenhin frowned. "Not in person, but I watched them argue about how best to reveal your past to you and both settled on the king's wish to keep you under the illusion of being Asgardian. I was not going to face the All-Father with a request that specifically contradicted something he felt so strongly about," he explained. Loki looked away, fighting off an angry outburst and instead taking a deep breath and trying to take this in graciously. Brenhin sighed and stroked the youth's arm. Loki withdrew instantly, shuddering at the notion for the time being. Brenhin frowned and shook his head. "I wanted to tell you, but there was all of Asgard to contend with, not to mention your mother watched you like a hawk even while you were . . ."

"My mother was dead, _**dead,**_ and you knew! You knew who I was, you knew what had happened to her, you even knew what had happened to me and you said _**nothing**_!" Loki shouted furiously. Brenhin recoiled and looked down. Loki panted heavily and clutched either side of his head, angered at this news. He had hoped that Brenhin had refused to tell him because of some spell or command from either the All-Father or Eldred. He didn't understand why the servant, with all the time he had spent watching him train, couldn't have found five minutes to say something to the youth about his true heritage. He had known how Loki had been tormented by the other Asgardians, how he had fled to Sylvanheim because of his persecution. Knowing that he had not been overly thoughtful in his assumptions that he was not really of Asgard to begin with would have been helpful somehow, or at least he thought now that it would be. "There were at least, at least seven hundred, no, thousand instances that you could have told me and spared me several years of lonely awkwardness and dejection."

"You really think knowing then what you know now would have made the chiding and ridicule more tolerable?" Brenhin asked in confusion. He watched as the trickster's expression remained unaltered. Brenhin frowned and glared a little at the youth. Caution and kindness be damned, Loki was seething over something long past and as well-managed as the people around him could have done. "Would it have made you as grateful toward the royal family as you are now?"

"You dare to speak to me of gratitude and tolerance? You knew only pieces of my past and never bothered to anything beyond," he snarled angrily. "You knew everything and said _**nothing**_."

"I did not know everything, Loki, I do not know everything least of all how something so terrible being revealed to a creature growing to be as marvelous as the woman I had lost would be damaged by knowing _**I let her die**_!" Brenhin shouted in reply. Loki froze and stared back at the man in horror. Brenhin clutched his brow with his good hand and began to sob. "I'm glad I didn't tell you then, at least in hesitation there were several years of knowing her child without that trauma. You would've hated me knowing what I do."

"I hate you now, are you still glad you hesitated?" Loki retorted. Brenhin snarled at him. "That isn't as important right now. You were an elf once, weren't you?"

"My magic might be nearly gone and my appearance somewhat Asgardian . . ."

"Human, you mean," Loki corrected hotly.

Brenhin drew in a slow, angry breath. He continued to stare into the trickster's eyes as he finished the affirmation. "But I am still an elf."

"And what do you know of the effect of magic on a human?" Loki asked. Brenhin lifted a brow in confusion at him. "Could it leave traceable power on them, a mark that could be followed?"

"The Eye left its power on her, did it?" Brenhin said with a smirk. "That is troubling. Has she been hearing voices or experiencing visions?"

"Eldred saw us, we were spirited away to Sylvanheim when I touched her mark," he said. Brenhin raised one brow.

"Were you thinking of Sylvanheim or was she?" he asked. Loki froze, thinking about these words. If Darcy was able to transport them, then there was no telling what other powers she might start exhibiting. He frowned and started to think of what would be the best course of action next. "If it wasn't you, then I would be terrified. The Norn Queen's magic is equal only to Odin himself and it penetrates the cosmos as vastly as your travels have."

"Then she is in danger," Loki reasoned.

"Possibly, unless she has found a suitable guardian; one that won't presume to play on her mortal limitations or torment her," Brenhin remarked a little coldly. Loki gave him a sharp look for a moment, but then stood and hurried to the door, hesitating a moment as his hand hovered over the handle. If he tried to take her now, from that dreadful building he had meant to leave in ruins and keep that way, he risked sending that boorish team of misfits after him as well as invoking Thor's return. His brother was unsettled enough by the first visit and its outcome, he would not well-tolerate another accusation against the trickster. "If I were you, and I'd like to point out that part of us is in fact the same, then I would seriously consider asking for the aide of everyone you can to protect both of you until Odin acts against Eldred."

"Firstly, Brenhin, you should have said 'if I was you' unless you are content with ignorance; secondly, no part of us will ever be the same; and thirdly, there is no cataclysm this side of Ragnarok in which I would ever ask again for the aide of creatures from this realm, mighty or otherwise," Loki replied angrily, still leaving his hand over the door-handle. He drew in a deep breath remembering the incidents from his last exploit on this planet. It reminded him how much hatred he harbored for humanity's defenders and, on a smaller scale, for humanity itself. They were aggravating, relentless, and weak yet they still managed to prove an obstacle to him at nearly every turn. He clenched his hand into a fist and withdrew it from the door, turning back to Brenhin slowly. "I will go and reclaim Darcy in the morning. Daylight seems to make them oddly more fragile than night. When I have her, and I will have her, we will return to Sylvanheim. I will face that decrepit monster, Eldred and I will rule Sylvanheim and take its power in his place. You will serve me and she will relinquish the Norn Queen's power before I claim her once and for all."

"Loki, if you love her you will not claim or take her," Brenhin corrected.

Loki glared at Brenhin and the servant wondered if there was something about earth itself that made the trickster cruel. He seemed more volatile here than anywhere, constantly changing and always at extremes. It chilled the man inwardly, but he dared not display any observations like this outwardly. "I am superior to her kind in all ways; she knows this and she will learn to behave as all others who have respected my father's throne and mine. Love her? Of course, I do. Which is why I will allow her to obey me without fear of any infidelity," he said in a low tone. Brenhin frowned and shook his head again. Loki growled a little, feeling more at peace on earth with this renewed hostility. "She will be mine, or she will never see this worthless realm again."

(*)

On the other side of the door, Steve Rogers stood perfectly still. He had headed down the stairs toward the basement, gripping a softball bat in the common manner most men do when faced with nocturnal raucous. He had feared that something had stirred the destructive nature of the trickster or worse, something nastier had found him out and followed him here. He breathed quietly and waited until he heard the trickster, too angry to sense the soldier's presence, move away from the door. He still wasn't quite sure what had prompted him to give in and assist; it couldn't have solely been because of the wounded man, although that did weigh on his conscience. The sorcerer must have been using mind-games yet again. Once he was sure he was out of the trickster's earshot, he hurried back up the stairs quietly and took hold of the phone he had recently learned to use. It was smaller than even the communication devices that he had used in the war, but it was efficient. He pressed a series of keys and held the phone to his ear, moving to the front door and standing outside. As he closed the door silently, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the trickster so as not to be heard, the party on the other end answered.

"It's three fifteen, this better be good," a very disgruntled Nick Fury replied.

"Sir, it's Rogers," the captain said anxiously.

"I know it's you. For the last time, I have caller ID on this thing, everyone does. Now what is so important that it can't wait four hours?" Fury snapped.

"Did you see what happened in Times Square today?" he asked. Fury groaned, signaling to the captain that his commander had seen the incident and wanted a more definitive and succinct statement. "I know where he is and what he's planning to do."

There was silence on the other end for a few moments and Rogers contemplated adding something else, but couldn't at the time decide what. He heard the man on the other end halt his breathing and it oddly sounded like the man's eyes had widened. "You're on an unsecured network, say nothing else. We assemble at 0800," Fury said flatly. "Be at headquarters or I'll assume the worst."

"Yes, sir," Rogers said with all the enthusiasm his commander had come to expect from him. Before anything else could be said, Rogers heard the line go dead. He breathed deeply and headed back inside. He sat down quietly, staring apprehensively at the door to the basement. It would be difficult to feel at peace in the dwelling with Loki still there, but he knew it was important to stay nearby. It occurred to him that the trickster might have been listening. No, he would have heard or seen immediate action. Loki wouldn't be stupid enough to stay put when he had been found out. Then again, if the trouble-maker was intent and clever, he would also have some sort of plot that would make everyone else think he was lying low when he had every intention of causing a stir and kidnapping yet again. Then again, he would be expecting the group to expect him to plot secretively. But in expecting the group to expect a plot, would he also expect that they would anticipate a . . .

"I can hear that nonsense rattling around in your skull from here, shield-bearer, and it's going to drive me mad," Loki shouted from the basement. Rogers froze and then shifted slowly, uncomfortably, still trying to decide what the appropriate course of action now that he had alerted the enemy would be. "Stop that relentless inward drivel at once! I'll give your pathetic conglomerate a sporting chance and stay put until you've made a decision, just **go to sleep**!"

"This is going to be a long night," Rogers muttered to himself.


	38. Poor Disguise

_(((The second trailer for 'The Avengers' is amazing and so is the behind the scenes footage. Something our favorite sorcerer should have thought of, though; it's one thing to get the people of Europe to bow to you, my ancestors and family are tired of centuries of war . . . it's a feat of Olympian proportions to get Americans and the younger generations across the world to bow to you. Odin might be able to do that, but not you, dear.)))_

Chapter 38: Poor Disguise

Darcy managed to fall back into a sound sleep, though not for long. Her mind consciously kept wandering back to images of Sylvanheim. She remembered hearing Loki call for her from a place deeper in the forest; she also remembered hearing the roar of the dragon that had attacked them. The more she ran toward the trickster's voice it seemed she came closer to the roar of the lindwurm. As the dream came to a terrifying close that ended with the sight of an enormous pair of glowing orange-yellow eyes and Darcy screaming in horror, she suddenly realized that the roar wasn't the lindwurm she had seen in the forest. This was something more horrific, much larger, and definitely after her. She struggled to the surface of her mind and breathed heavily as she sat upright. Light was streaming in as the sun rose promptly at six. She groaned and climbed out of the bed, dressing more slowly than she had apparently been able to do the night before. Darcy thought about the strange appearance of the trickster. It was unlike him to leave her if he wanted something from her like staying clear of electronics; it wasn't in his nature to trust that she would follow directions.

She slowly walked over to the remnants of the missing wall and glass, staring out into the warped image of the sunrise over New York City. It was odd to think that her lover had stood in this very place with her new cousin. It occurred to her that not only had he stood here, he had assaulted Mr. Stark here and had probably hoped to kill him. At this distance from the trickster, she filtered some of what had transpired over the past weeks in a few moments. She slowly thought about how strange and cruel Loki could be and how often it occurred. No, he was only cruel when angered and only angered when provoked. Then again, provocation seemed to have also occurred on a daily basis. She placed a hand on the side of her head, trying to recollect what she had been thinking and feeling when she had given herself to him. Now that she thought about it, she had been very reckless and foolhardy; still, she would do it again in a heartbeat even now. That angered her. That must have been what the dream was warning her against; if she continued to go after the trickster it would end in terrifying disaster and nothing else.

"Good morning," Tony Stark announced from a short distance behind her. Darcy jumped and let out a small cry as she turned to face him. He gave her a look of concern as she centered herself. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I was startled, that's all," she stammered.

"Listen, I checked with the university last night and they can't credit you with the internship unless Miss Foster can file the appropriate documentation," he said cautiously.

"Great, perfect," Darcy muttered. She turned back to the window, folding her arms and inwardly hurling every nasty name she could at the trickster. The internship had been a three-month exercise in her patience and cerebral agility with two people that tolerated her presence, but didn't see her as much more than a gopher. She wasn't ungrateful for the experience that led her to something that no other human could ever come close to enjoying, but at the moment it seemed that one round of bad news after another was hitting her. It occurred to her that she might be overly sensitive for some reason and that it had all started when she had awakened after being ushered into womanhood. It also occurred to her that it was best to try and forget about that and try to reclaim some semblance of a normal life back on earth. As comfortable as she had been on Sylvanheim and as much as she cared for Brenhin and, to a lesser extreme for the time being, Loki, a more sensible and desperate part of her wanted to abandon all of it and get back to life here. She sighed heavily and turned back to him. "I guess I could just volunteer for a medical study and see if they'd let me substitute some tutoring time in the language labs to . . ."

"Actually I told them that while you weren't assisting Miss Foster, you were assisting the United States Government as an ambassador. I mean, really, you were representing us to him in a weird, weird sort of way. So I filled out some documents and made a few phone calls," he explained. Darcy stared at him in disbelief before turning away slowly. Stark felt as though he had temporarily overstepped some kind of boundary and destroyed the start of a relationship with his only living relative. "I, I didn't know if you wanted to head back there right away or wait until the next semester."

"Wow," Darcy said, staring at her cousin in slight disbelief. She had never been acquainted with someone this powerful before and had relied for years on her own skills to bypass certain limits to her education and even entertainment. It was a little unsettling and yet somehow exciting. It certainly felt less intimidating than being seized by the God of Mischief. "Thank you, that's incredible. I would've had to spend months on top of regular classes to make up for that time."

"Well, you're on your way to being done with your coursework in a few months and maybe when you're done there you might consider a temporary career in public relations," he offered.

She smiled and nodded, glancing back at the window and then back at her cousin. He smiled in return. Darcy felt the sensible and desperate part of her squeal with joy at the prospect of a stable future. She straightened her glasses and slipped one step closer to having a wider social circle that didn't exist solely as a group of quirky avatars and a list of messages. "So, would it be too gangster to call you Uncle Tony or is that too familiar?"

"No, not at all," he said with an inward sigh of relief all his own. This made four total women close to him that didn't hate the very fiber of his being. "I get the feeling I should buy a fur coat and a huge ring, though."

The two chuckled and the morning became all the brighter both inside and outside the building. The sun began to rise higher in the morning sky. The peace of the moment was broken by the shrill ring of Stark's phone, the setting was the most annoying he could find and signaled that he was needed by S.H.I.E.L.D. yet again. He groaned and turned away, taking the phone in one hand and clenching the other into a fist. "Stark here," he said. Darcy turned back to the window and smiled brightly. The return to this world was quite a bit more pleasant than she had anticipated. In fact, her life at the moment seemed a great deal better than the one she had left behind or rather torn away from. Stark frowned and glanced back at Darcy for a moment before lowering his tone. "Oh yeah? You believed him? Because that sounds an awful lot like a cry for attention." He hesitated and waited for the reply. "What are we going to do about it, then?" He watched as Darcy paced back and forth in front of the window for a moment and then made her way slowly to the sofa. He sighed heavily. "Alright, I'll be there and I'll bring her with me. Let's not take any chances after making him angry last time."

(*)

"You're kidding, right?" Rogers said with a puzzled look at the trickster. Loki had contemplated the idea of fleeing in the night with Brenhin and taking both his servant and Darcy back to Sylvanheim whether she liked it or not. Instead, he had decided that a more prudent course of action would be to know what the human defenders might try to do and persuade his brother to join in when he would inevitably show up at the worst possible moment. At least knowing their pathetic plan of action would allow him the upper hand somewhere. Part of him wondered if he might find some sort of inspiration in taking care of the issue with Eldred in handling their simple nonsense. With the first few streams of morning light, Loki had bounded promptly up the stairs in the form he intended to use in following Rogers right into their stronghold once again. While he would still be subjugated as the black-furred English Terrier at the soldier's side it would be a far cry better than walking in bound and at the mercy of eight humans. Rogers shook his head as Loki stared back angrily.

"I am offering to accompany you to your headquarters thereby exonerating you from whatever crime they will find in your having harbored myself and my servant and you want to complain about the form I take? Would you rather I walk in as I did last time?" Loki replied annoyedly. Rogers frowned and looked away. "Or perhaps it is the animal choice. I could always make myself into a fluffy orange cat. That would win you a new type of respect among your friends, you can be sure of that."

"Fine, just pick a different breed. I'm not a Terrier guy," Rogers replied.

"The term is Terrierman, nitwit," Loki muttered and lowered his head. He exhaled sharply and willed his form to grow larger and more magnificent. Rogers' eyes widened and he took a step backwards. "Is this more to your liking?"

"Uh . . . I really don't think they're going to let me walk in with a wolfhound. Can't you make yourself look like something normal? You look like the dog version of the devil like this," Rogers remarked. Loki's ears pulled backward and he began to growl in a low tone. "Try a lab or a mutt or something that doesn't look like it comes from another planet."

"I am from another realm, nitwit," Loki muttered, still convinced that things would have gone more smoothly if he had gone with his first instincts and left the night before. In Rogers' presence he somehow brought out his more honorable self which was all the more reason to leave quickly. He breathed deeply and took several steps backward and shrank backward as his ears laid down over his head. Rogers assessed the trickster's attempt at a Labrador with amusement. "This is it, take me with you or be prepared for me to attend without your knowledge."

"No, that's great," Rogers said. "I just don't know how I'm supposed to take you with me since there's a leash law in this city."

"This is ludicrous," Loki grumbled and a wisp of light formed into a collar and then a leash. Rogers hid the amazement in seeing the accessories appear out of nothing. He knelt and took hold of the collar, glancing at the small, gold disc with black etching.

"Lester? That's a terrible name for a dog," Rogers complained.

"I am not spending the next few minutes allowing you to dictate the false name I wear into that madhouse," Loki replied angrily. "It's either this awful nomenclature, which came from one of the novels in there you've neglected to read, or my own name which will raise suspicions. The last thing you want is to walk in with a new companion bearing the name of the villain you recently thwarted."

"So you're admitting that was all on you, right?" Rogers asked, taking hold of the leash and instinctively rubbing the dog's head. "Good boy."

Loki growled. "I am allowing you to take hold of that restraint only because it serves my purposes," he snarled and then snapped at the man's hand. Rogers withdrew it and stood instantly. "Do not do that again."

"Alright, but you're probably going to have to put up with that from other people. You bite someone else and they're going to put you away or worse," Rogers warned and began to lead the way out of the dwelling.

"There is little else in the nine realms worse than this," the trickster replied unhappily as he followed.

(*)

The headquarters building that now served as the mainstay for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s activities was abuzz with the same activity that had preceded the full-on attack by the trickster weeks before. While Stark guided Darcy through the odd labyrinth of security offices, research laboratories filled with glowing clear screens, and hordes of uniformed agents all either speaking in a hushed tone to an operative beside them or into a headset in a hushed tone. She watched all of it with apprehension, thinking about the severity of what working with someone with this kind of power meant. At least at the side of the trouble-maker she could be separate from his actions. She frowned and rubbed her shoulders, glancing around pensively as her cousin spoke with a few of the other agents. With the slightly amused expression on their faces she wondered if this was something serious or if he was simply being sociable.

"Miss Lewis?" a familiar voice asked. Darcy turned and watched as Agent Coulson approached her with a kind smile. "I'm glad to see you're doing well after your ordeal, all of it."

"I should probably say thank you since if you hadn't run into me I wouldn't be here," she said looking up and around the room with feigned joy. She shrugged. "I'm glad to be back."

"Good, I also have this for you," he said withdrawing something from his pocket and holding it out to her. "It was supposed to be returned to you when you arrived here and we had hoped it would help us find you. I think it's served its purpose."

Darcy accepted the item and grinned brightly, turning it over a few times. "Thank you," she said, looking down at her iPod with relief. Perhaps having this returned would assuage any thoughts about the trickster. The symbol on her hand caught her attention and a wave of plans she had made to seek him out came flooding back. She fought it away and reminded herself that things had been difficult enough with him before. It would be vastly different with him being out from under the restraints of an apprenticeship. Coulson nodded to her and then returned to the task at hand, namely conversing with the rest of the team. As Darcy settled into the familiar position of grasping the device and selecting music, she felt the mark on her hand grow warm. She glanced back at it and suddenly remembered what he had told her the night before. Could it truly be dangerous to grasp anything with electricity with the hand, she wondered. She sighed and took a seat in a nearby row of chairs, silently putting both earphones in and trying to drown out the noise of her grey future here. She shook herself. What was she saying? She should be so lucky; having a position with Stark Industries even before graduating was more than even many of her professors could boast. Still, the memories of Sylvanheim were weighing on her in ways she hadn't expected and it infuriated her to no end that she had been thusly affected. She groaned and selected a playlist, hoping the noise would counter this inward insanity.

(*)

"This is what you consider a control center? It's madness; even more chaotic than I created," Loki observed coolly as Rogers walked into the building and led the way. There had been a small argument with security about bringing the animal in, but it had been cleared with Mr. Fury for time's sake via communicator. Loki took in the sight of the facility with an even greater measure of curiosity. "How in this realm do any of you get anything accomplished?"

"Stop talking, someone'll notice," he whispered harshly.

"Had you observed things properly, shield-bearer, which I will point out you have not, you would have noticed that I am speaking only to you. No one else can hear me," he remarked. "It's exhausting to use this kind of power without having slept and being forced to do so in a mortal realm, but it is quite interesting. They put up such a fuss at the entrance and here no one seems to notice anything spectacular about an animal at your side. Is this commonplace for you?"

"No, I didn't even have a dog as a kid. Now be quiet," he hissed. Loki growled at him and looked away. It was surprisingly liberating to be this insignificant taking in everything he could about the facility with such enhanced senses. Even with magic in his veins, he had been limited to focusing on only one or two advanced senses at a time when here before. Now he wondered if it might be useful to survey an area as the local fauna before acting in the future. It certainly couldn't hurt to err on the side of caution as something as trivial as a small creature. Rogers frowned as he approached the group of agents and heroes waiting for him to join them. His heart raced knowing that at least one enemy stood beside him. Even on four legs and wagging a tail, he was sure the trickster was a danger to the facility. For that matter, he still wondered if some sort of mind control had been used on him in bringing the man here.

"You wouldn't be able to ask yourself if I was controlling you and you would do well to remember that," Loki interjected. "I'll wait here."

"Really? You're just going to sit there until we decide to come after you?" Rogers laughed dropping the leash. Loki looked back up at him in confusion. "What? You don't think I'm not going to walk in there and tell them you're here?"

"I wouldn't if I were you after being the one to bring me in," Loki added. "But it's your freedom and you may revoke it at any time."

"I'm going in there and they'll be after you in less than thirty seconds," Rogers warned.

"Did your superiors never teach you to keep your mouth shut in front of an enemy?" the trickster groaned. He glanced around the rest of the facility surrounding this conference center. Seated not far away was a sight that caused his heart to stop and lift all at once. Curled up against the wall was Darcy either deep in thought or asleep, likely the first since she was not one to sit still for long unless distracted by pondering; even in sleep she was animated. He grinned and Rogers noted the sudden silence and more elated expression of his pseudo-companion. He watched the dog-form of the trickster bound toward the girl. A twinge of fear moved through the soldier as he remembered Loki's plotting the night before that had prompted this gathering. She was his primary target for now. Unaware of the rest of the agents watching and ignoring the soldier behind him, Loki leapt up into the seat next to Darcy and placed both paws on her knees, barking loudly. Darcy jumped and looked into the dog's eyes, stunned. "Darcy."

"Oh my God," she whispered, staring back. "What in the world are you doing in here . . . like this?" He glanced over her momentarily and quickly noticed the device in her hands. He began to growl and, without warning, snatched the player out of her hands in his teeth and tossed it to the floor. Rogers instinctively knelt and caught the device and stayed put, watching the enemy carefully. Darcy glared at him angrily. "Hey, I just got that back!"

"I told you to leave well enough alone with things like that! Eldred is watching us and that mark is most visible with living power!" he exclaimed. Darcy glared back at him defiantly and then looked away. Rogers halted at the sorcerer's words. Something in him told him that while Loki was nowhere near innocent, that a bigger and more villainous creature was after the trickster, this young woman, and the servant still recovering. He thought quickly about what the next best move to make would be. Before he could act, the trickster suddenly transformed and grasped her wrist. "If you cannot be trusted to follow directions then you cannot be left to your own devices until _**this**_ . . ." here he yanked harshly on her wrist. She let out a small cry and tried to pull free. The sight of the transformation had prompted immediate action from the agents nearby, all of them drawing weaponry and calling for the rest of the team. " . . . until _**this**_ is dealt with."

"I really hope you just mean the mark because I am this close to decking you out, mister," Darcy shot back angrily. He was surprised to see her this furious and was still puzzled about what exactly had set her off to begin with. He seized her by the shoulders which led to Darcy shoving him backwards harshly. He watched her in amazement. She must have been thoroughly enraged with him to fight back physically, something she hadn't done since he had first brought her to Sylvanheim. There was no time for further assessment with this building full of hungry adversaries. He took hold of her once more and gripped past her struggling. The two appeared outside and further in the city as Loki felt a sudden pull against his own power. He lost his breath temporarily and grasped the side of his head. Darcy frowned. "I'm not going back with you, it's nothing but trouble and you're not interested in anything normal!"

"I'll contest that when we're settled somewhere safe," he growled. "And furthermore, I . . ." the trickster's sentence was cut short by a magnificent and lengthy roar. Darcy instantly pulled herself to him and closed her eyes. Loki turned and looked up at the skyline in horror. "Oh dear."

"What is it? Is it Eldred, is it a dragon? What is it?" Darcy asked, trembling. The roar ripped through the atmosphere again and Darcy could now tell that this was the very roar she had heard in the nightmare. A wave of nausea took her and she gripped his sleeve more tightly. "That's not something friendly, definitely not a good thing."

"That's not a something, it's a someone; someone I owe a terrible favor to and he was likely sent by Eldred indirectly," Loki replied with a tone of remorse in his voice. Darcy found the presence to look up at him in concern. His features had grown more pale with the sound and the green in his eyes had practically faded into nothing. "That is a fire demon . . . Surtur."


	39. Facing A Demon

Chapter 39: Facing A Demon

Eldred stood before a large, dark surfaced mirror that he kept hidden behind a set of bricks. He had purposefully never taught the trickster how to use the magic of this mirror and he grinned brightly at the prospect of using it to teach the insubordinate little mutant a lesson, kill the irritating human, and retrieve Brenhin. He reached one hand toward the mirror and slowly pushed his fingers through the surface, reaching in through the mirror as though it was liquid and allowing the glass to fit around his wrist. He turned his hand slowly and felt for the will of Surtur. It was too much for him to completely direct the demon's thoughts and feelings, but he could certainly pull some strings as well. He willed magic to tug at the demon's natural rage, exacerbating it to the extent he needed. Throughout every fiber of his being he felt the demon's anger and physicality growing more impressive, more vibrant. He smiled and opened his eyes, the frowned. He might have been able to reach the demon's senses, but without Loki's power near him he was unable to extend himself enough to see through the creature's eyes. _Soon_, he thought, _all of that meddlesome brat's power will be mine. With Nauthiz I will be more powerful than any demon, than the All-Father himself. Soon_ . . .

(*)

"A demon?" Darcy exclaimed as Loki looked away and tried to think of what he should do to protect her. "Like a real demon?"

Loki turned to his beloved in frustration. "No, Darcy, a false one," he replied angrily. He looked at the trail of magic spreading from the demon's presence and groaned inwardly. "I never should have promised him my own soul, I should've promised him Thor's."

"Oh my God, you owe him your soul? You have a soul?" she exclaimed more loudly. He turned back to her, growling a little. Another roar thundered through the city and the two felt the ground tremble. Darcy shrieked and fell forward onto him as he placed both arms around her protectively, also trembling. The trembling and the roar subsided as massive shouting and screaming began to fill the city. Darcy looked back at Loki, anger filling her features. She pulled away from him and slammed both palms forcefully into his chest, shoving him backwards a few inches. "You creep; he's going to kill everyone because of you!"

"Really? Is that what he's going to do? That is terrible; I thought he might just be here for polite conversation before death!" Loki retorted. The two saw a familiar sight fly overhead toward where the demon had made himself known. "Wonderful, the incredible iron numbskull is here."

"Get in there and do something!" she screamed in terror, shoving him backwards yet again.

"I am trying to calculate a plan of action," he snapped. "What do you expect me to do on a whim?"

"I don't know; you're an ice-giant go and freeze him!" she shouted, shoving him a fourth time.

"_**Jotun**_! The term is Jotun which translates to frost not _**ice**_! If every mortal was as ignorant as you . . ." he began hotly. The ground shook furiously again and the two grabbed hold of one another tightly, closing their eyes and waiting for the quake to cease yet again. Sirens and the sounds of gunfire suddenly joined the screams in the rest of the city. Loki glanced from side to side, still unsure of how to thwart an attack by a demon. "This would be easier, worlds easier, on Asgard."

"Forget Asgard right now, we're on earth and it's about to get smashed because of you! This poor little planet just can't catch a break from you weirdoes," she cried. Loki turned away from her, contemplating the notion of using The Casket of Ancient Winters . . . although against a fire-demon like Surtur he could count on needing to be a good distance from the demon initially. He was sure that if Surtur knew he was nearby that there would be no distracting him. Darcy looked around, flustered, and caught sight of something incredible in the sky. She grinned. "Look! It's Captain America!" Loki turned and watched the sight of the shield-bearer leaping from one of the buildings obviously onto where Surtur was waiting, which was not far away. From what Loki could tell by sight and sound that the demon was on the other side of a large set of buildings to their right . . . not far enough to be comfortable. Darcy's expression dropped as the soldier's form came flying overhead and collided with a building behind them. He crashed harshly into one of the walls and tumbled to the ground, gripping the shield tightly and still as out of uniform as Loki had left him earlier. The two immediately raced towards him and continued to do so as the ground shook yet again. "Oh no! Please don't be dead, please don't die!"

"Yes, that will prevent a mortal wound from taking him," Loki muttered angrily as he reached down for the shield. Darcy didn't notice the act of pilfering right away and Loki found that the shield was still held tightly in Rogers' grasp. "Damn. Let go, you oaf, you don't need it at the moment!"

"What are you doing?" Darcy exclaimed. A spray of rock glowing with heat suddenly came raining down over them. Loki knelt and held the captain's arm over them, willing the shield itself to extend in a silvery umbrella. The two panted desperately as the rain of debris ceased. Rogers groaned prompting Darcy to turn back to him as Loki allowed the shield to return to its proper size. "Thank goodness he's alive. Poor guy, we've got to get help."

"A whole city lies in peril and you're worried about one insignificant warrior?" Loki demanded, turning back to her angrily. In truth he was more angry that she hadn't wanted to protect him first and as illogical as it sounded to have protection from her it made him wonder if she had any loyalty to her at all. She glared at him.

"He's the one in front of me right now, you creep, and he's probably had severe head trauma because of you!" she replied. He lifted one brow at her. "And no one is insignificant."

Loki snarled at her and reached down for the shield once more, not because he sensed another wave of debris approaching, but because he thought he might be able to face Surtur with more proper protection. He grunted and pulled as hard as he could on the disc. The two froze as they heard the voice of the demon. "Son of Odin, Master of Deceit . . . show yourself or die unnoticed," Surtur roared.

Loki frowned and grasped his head. He didn't necessarily feel inclined to help these people as long as Darcy was safe and nearby. Rogers groaned and looked up at Darcy. "No, ma'am I ordered water; I can't drink that on duty," he said groggily. Darcy whined in frustration and looked back up at Loki who seemed to have come to some sort of revelation.

"Water . . . this is an island, yes?" he asked.

"Well, yeah it's Manhattan, but the water isn't really all that good for . . ." she began. Before Darcy could say another word, Loki seized her by the wrist and took hold of Rogers as well, willing them back to the dwelling where Brenhin still waited. Darcy looked around in confusion as Loki finally wrenched the shield free of Rogers' hand and appraised it quickly. "Wait a minute! There are hundreds, no, thousands of helpless people still out there! I didn't mean you should abandon them to help him! Can't you take us to a hospital or something so we can get back out there?"

"We?" Loki scoffed. "I have the strength and fortitude to face a demon, Darcy, you barely have the strength and fortitude to face a sorcerer."

"The one I've been dealing with is kind of both," she shot back and tried to move past him. He took hold of her arm beneath the shoulder in one hand and quickly retrieved the vial he had been keeping in his belt for weeks. She noticed it as he removed the cork. "Wait, is that what I think it is?"

"Probably," Loki replied quickly. He released her arm momentarily, grasping her jaw violently. Darcy felt a jolt of shock move through her. He had done this when they had been on Asgard during their first few hours together and the end result hadn't necessarily been unpleasant, but it had prevented her from escaping. She grunted and struggled against his grip as he poured the fluid into her mouth and then sealed it again with his other hand. "Drink," he commanded, staring down at her calmly, but powerfully. She thought for a moment and then instinctively swallowed. He slipped the remainder of the vial in his belt once more. She cursed herself for doing so, but it was too late to rectify the issue. The trickster heard Rogers stir and glanced down at him as he struggled to sit upright, touching a wound on the side of his head gingerly. Loki turned quickly back to Darcy, gazing deeply into her eyes. A single tear fell from one eye and he hurriedly reached down, swiping it away with the edge of one finger. He watched as the gleam of consciousness slowly began to fade. "When I return, we will go somewhere much safer, Darcy, away from Midgard and Sylvanheim. It is time I learned of the other part of my bloodline." Darcy mumbled something, but the trickster wasn't interested in hearing anything further. Rogers slowly began to regain sight. The trickster could hear the demon even from this distance. He sighed and leaned into his beloved, pressing his lips against her temple and lingering until he felt her sigh and slip into unconsciousness. He knelt and carefully set her on the floor, swiftly taking hold of the shield and addressing Rogers one last time. "If I return and she is in any other condition I will hold you personally responsible," he warned.

"Hey, you can't take that, that's property of the United States Armed Forces," Rogers complained. He watched as the sorcerer disappeared with the shield and the roaring outside got louder. Rogers groaned and looked down at the young woman beside him. "Whoever you are, I really don't envy you having to put up with him," Rogers said as he helped her onto the living room sofa. A sharp pain sparked through his forehead and he suddenly found himself unable to stand. He slunk back to the floor, leaning back against the sofa. He glanced back at the girl and sighed. "I kind of envy the unconsciousness, though."

(*)

Surtur hadn't moved far since arriving and didn't need to from what the trickster could tell. The fiery brute's wings and tail had already done more than superficial damage to all the buildings surrounding it. He could also see smoldering heaps at the bases of four buildings where he recognized parts of four of earth's mightiest heroes protruding from the rubble. Surtur suddenly stood more upright and sniffed the air. Loki froze and waited patiently, gripping the shield in one hand. The demon snorted and, in a flash, turned its head to stare directly at the trickster. He grinned and turned the rest of his body, glowing and churning with fire like living lava, to face his prey. Loki drew in a deep breath and summoned the casket from the vault, firing a stream of ice at Surtur. The blast hit the demon in the chest, throwing him backward a few inches and prompting a howl from him. The ice's effect didn't last long and Surtur quickly lunged forward, bringing a fist down over where the trickster stood. Not wanting to lose a close range shot, Loki simply moved backward a few centimeters away from the edge of the demon's fist. Much to his dismay, he was unable to protect the casket. As Surtur's fist sliced into the edge of the frozen block it shattered, hundreds of pieces landing on the ground in front of the trickster. Surtur stepped back and laughed at the display. Loki stared down in shock and sadness at the stone handle left in his right hand and the pile of icy remnants on the ground.

"Oh, no; Father's sure to notice this," he thought aloud unhappily. He knelt quickly as Surtur took one more swipe over him, dodging the demon's fiery grasp. He thought quickly and gathered the pieces of broken casket into the shield. "He won't like this at all."

"You owe me tribute, son of Odin," the demon snarled. He lifted one hand in the air again. Loki now noticed that many of the humans around him had been taking cover and several of their officials were still firing at Surtur, adding to his arsenal of rage. He frowned. He would have to lead the demon away from this if he was going to get anything accomplished. "I want it now!"

"Then come and take it," Loki shouted. He grasped the edge of the shield in both hands and then dropped it onto the ground leaping onto its surface amongst the shards of the former casket. He knelt and placed one hand in the shards, exhaling sharply. He narrowed his gaze and concentrated on the patterns of the man-made structures that led out to the sea. Once his senses had detected a clear route to the ocean, he wrapped the fingers of the hand in the shards around a particularly large piece and willed himself forward. In an instant, a stream of solid ice burst forth from the edge of the shield, creating a winding path to the edge of the island elevated at various intervals above the street. He breathed deeply and pushed back on the ground with the other hand as hard as he could, propelling the shield onto the ice and forward. A rush of wind moved over him as he suddenly began to race forward on the shield, flying swiftly across the icy surface and leaning to follow its every turn. He pressed forward with both his will and his form, speeding through the winding streets atop the shield and ice as Surtur began to follow, roaring angrily. Loki turned momentarily, noting that Surtur had managed to not only follow him, but he was breaking as much of the solid bridge as he could manage. When the trickster was sure that he was only a few yards away from the ocean's edge, he quickly leaned down and created a duplicate of both himself and the shield, cloaking himself in magic as he grabbed the edge of the true shield and dove off the bridge. He skidded to a halt near a few tall buildings that lined this wide passage to the harbor. He could hear and see Surtur still following the replica and reached down quickly to take hold of the shield. He held it in front of him and willed the shards back to the vault, praying that all were accounted for and that his father wasn't going to have anyone take inventory any time soon. Surtur's form fell off the edge of the concrete harbor as the replica and ice fully disappeared. Loki congratulated himself on another victory through fraudulence. As he willed the shield back to the dwelling he suddenly felt the burning hand of the demon close around his midsection and hoist him high into the air. He turned looked up in horror as the shield clattered to the ground and Surtur stared into his eyes with wicked glee.

"You're not the only one with a few tricks," Surtur replied with a laugh. Loki grunted and tried to pull free of the demon's grip. Even falling into the asphalt beneath wouldn't be a fate as terrible as what Surtur could possibly plan for him. "I gave you a century to repay me, Loki. And now I will have what's owed to me."

"Oh, powerful Surtur, Lord of all Flame and Ferocity, I can offer you so much more than myself," he said as smoothly and quickly as he could manage. Surtur snarled at him and tightened his grip. The sorcerer gasped for breath and watched the demon's face grow closer to his own.

"You couldn't deliver your promised price to me in a century, trickster. Why would I listen to you now? What could you possibly offer me that I would accept when I can have you?" he growled.

Loki stared deeply into the demon's eyes, summoning a plethora of courage and boldness. Surtur waited patiently. If nothing else, the offer would be worth listening to for amusement. "If you release me and wait patiently for one year . . ." Loki said. Surtur seemed to calm down at this, holding his breath as he awaited the rest of the offer. Loki closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating whether this offer was sound. There was no other choice for the time being and it would be the only thing that would sway a demon who craved something to torment. He sighed. "I will give you my firstborn."


	40. Across Troubled Waters

Chapter 40: Across Troubled Waters

It took less than a moment for Surtur to agree to this. The prospect of owning one of Odin's grandchildren, particularly the seed of the trickster, was far more satisfying than having the slippery sorcerer himself in his service. Loki couldn't be trusted, after all, but a child would not have the power of its father right off. Surtur promised to arrive on Asgard the following year, warning the trickster that further horseplay would be severely punished. As Surtur disappeared into the horizon, Loki returned quickly to where he had left Darcy, still safely asleep beside her newest protector. In the meantime, the rest of the team were returning to consciousness. Of the four heroes that had fallen into piles of broken buildings after Surtur's attack, Tony Stark was the first to awaken and pull himself free. He looked around the scene of rescue workers struggling to get citizens to safer areas and start the clean-up effort immediately and noticed that the damage made a pattern toward the harbor. He groaned and lifted himself still in full armor and took flight, following the trail as carefully as he could until he came and settled next to an infuriating sight. He retracted his helmet and knelt, taking a somewhat battered shield in both hands. "Rogers," he growled as he stood upright once more. The sounds of the rest of the team climbing out from their respective landings met him. They would do just fine on their own, he reasoned. He allowed the helmet to cover his head and face once more, the anger in his current features nearly matching the inhuman scowl on the metal surface of his gear. "Jarvis I need you to locate an address for me and fast."

(*)

"You can't take her with you. I'm in enough trouble because of you and I'm not about to let accessory to kidnapping be added to the long list of charges I've racked up," Rogers said firmly. Loki glared at him trying to remain as calm as possible. He owed the mortal his life in a very real sense, but he didn't feel any warmth or respect for him at the moment as he stood between him and his beloved. "Let's see there's aiding and abetting a known criminal, obstruction of justice, accessory to criminal activity, and accessory to seditious intent so far. Not to mention unlawful forgery in claiming an unregistered dog as a working animal in a federal facility."

"That was done of your own volition and I asked you to choose the charade responsibly," the trickster corrected. He sighed heavily. "I absolve you, I never enlisted your aid fully and you may claim the rest of it was done involuntarily which might be the case at the moment."

Rogers scoffed at this. "I've already butted heads with Stark once, I'm not taking something from him that might land me in an even worse situation than before," he said lifting both hands defensively. "You'll know where she is and how to get to her, but I'm not letting her leave with you."

The trickster searched the man's mind and thoughts, sifting through the layers of purity, patriotism, and selflessness which formed the impregnable force that protected the youth's mind from full control. In the man's memories, Loki could see a terrible loss. At one time, Rogers had thought he was in love with a young woman and had even suffered tragedy only to be comforted by her before making what he thought would be the ultimate sacrifice. Loki hid a grin and an overt congratulation toward himself at finding yet another weakness to use against this team. For the moment it would serve to get Darcy where he wanted. He had decided to relocate all three of them to the bottom of this world. At the southern-most continent there were a few abandoned research facilities near the Aurora Australis; the southern lights stemmed not merely from a chemical source, but testified to the magic held at earth's natural poles that could easily be manipulated. Loki knew that it would now be dangerous to travel between realms using his own gifts, but if he could construct a temporary Bifrost of his own using what was left of the casket (still sure he could summon the shards) and the cold magic of the southern lights, he could get them to Alfsheim safely. For now it was important to get the man to willingly relinquish Darcy. He reached a hand towards him pleadingly and allowed an expression of sadness and desperation to cross his features.

"I cannot expect you to condone anything that I have done or accept the changes I have made in trying to impress my beloved," he said as he gestured toward Darcy. "But I do ask that you see how impaired how empty my life would be without her. I had to take her, I could not leave her in this realm alone, not after she gave herself to me so fully, so wonderfully."

"Great, now suddenly you two are a thing," Rogers muttered in frustration, shaking his head.

"Not suddenly. We've been joined heart and soul for some time now," Loki continued. He could hear distant shuffling and shouting with his keen senses and knew that they were running out of time. He softened the expression in his eyes. "I would not have taken a creature against their will," he lied. "Our desire transcended the cosmic limitations of our separate realms, but her heart was failing without me. It will fail again without me no matter what your people offer her now."

Rogers sighed and looked back and forth between the two. It would have been better to ask her in her waking moments if this had been true. Then again, she had seemed to positively light up when she had realized that the trickster had made his way into the facility and sat in front of her. He knew that there was some form of trickery at work here, but another part of his heart told him that this was genuine and that this would be one of the few instances of sincerity in which Loki was at risk for some form of real suffering. He thought for the briefest of moments about how wonderful Ms. Carter's company had been and how much she had meant to him. Loki allowed the memory to flood him and heard the sounds growing closer to them. He had to keep calm in order to summon thoughts and feelings, but things were getting quite desperate. After a few moments more, Rogers clenched one hand into a fist and heaved a huge sigh. He looked back into the trickster's eyes sternly.

"I'm not going to stand in the way of something like this," he said with flattened resolve. The trickster sighed with relief and moved toward Darcy. Rogers grabbed his shoulder and pulled him close, speaking as sternly as his steely gaze. "But if I hear at all, from anyone, that you did anything at all to upset her or that you were lying to me, which is very possible given your particular modus operandi, I will hunt you down and do to you everything I've wanted to do to anyone that's ever pissed me off . . . ever. You got that?" Loki stared back at him in momentary disbelief and then slowly nodded. "Good, because I'd hate for you to take the heat for Schmidt, Hitler, Stark, and every punk in Brooklyn."

"Understood," Loki said slowly as he knelt beside Darcy and took her into his arms. Rogers watched carefully and heard sirens heading toward the dwelling. He heaved a huge sigh. "Tell them you were acting against your will."

"Are you kidding? I'm not a liar and I am not going to start taking stuff from Stark about how weak-minded I am. I'll deal with whatever comes my way exactly how I was trained to," he said firmly. Loki turned back to the man and gazed at him with a measure of admiration. The soldier suddenly remembered something important and he paused. "Wait a minute, where's my shield?"

Loki grinned at him and then disappeared with Darcy. Rogers groaned and hurried down the basement. To his dismay, Brenhin was already gone as well. He growled and slammed one fist into the railing, cursing himself for not getting that from the little scheister sooner. He tried to remember where he had fallen then remembered also that Loki had taken it with him to face the creature. He looked from side to side, struggling to think of where the immortal would have left it. He heard a loud knock on the door and then splintering wood. As he hurried back up the stairs he noted that the door had been pushed inward, barely hanging on what was left of the hinges. A hand landed harshly on his shoulder. He jumped and turned to face the intruder. Still in full armor, but now with the helmet receded again stood Tony Stark . . . infuriated. Rogers glared back at him as the iron defender lifted up the battered shield in front of him. "Lose something?"

(*)

As unpredictable and ridiculous as humans were, their need to study and pick apart every piece of their natural world was ubiquitous. Luckily, the trickster had been able to locate one of the abandoned research facilities nearest the sightings of the southern lights. The long night would allow him time to confront Darcy's anger and the minutes before morning would provide him time to construct a temporary bridge. Things had fallen neatly into place. With the confidence and pride moving through the trickster, it felt like nothing at all to get Brenhin settled into one of the rooms in the facility, create a sufficient heat source, and find the equipment necessary to make sure that not only would Darcy be incapable of escape, but she would be incapable of ignoring him as well. He drew in a deep breath as he noticed that she was starting to come around. This would need to be done carefully, but pride and confidence were both telling him that caution was second place to his obvious merit.

Darcy shook her head furiously as she felt consciousness return. She growled as her captor finished checking the bindings once more to make sure they were sound. She practically hissed as she got yet another good look at the person that had taken her captive . . . again. She furrowed her brow, glaring at him with a lover's anger that Loki hadn't even seen in Sif. He had seen it once or twice in his mother, but he hadn't been old enough to recognize it at the time. She growled a little and pulled at the cloth bindings. "Let me out of this," she demanded furiously. "I mean it, Loki, let me out of this now!"

"Such a temper," he remarked with a smirk. He began slowly pacing back and forth in front of her. "It's unbecoming for a lady of breeding, I'm told, but I personally find a good heated spark in a woman to be, well, arousing."

Darcy groaned. "Look, what we did was a mistake and I really don't want to think about your, whatever you call it, right now. So just let me go and I won't have my new cousin smash you into tiny pieces," she warned through gritted teeth. She pulled all the harder at the bindings. She was seated on a fairly comfortable wooden chair with arms lifted just high enough to have allowed him to tie her arms and wrists to them with only a comfortable bend in her elbows. As well as being bound to the chair itself, Darcy also felt that she was bound to the column behind her. She shouted in frustration and commenced to pulling herself forward harshly and repetitively. She found that she was barely able to sit any further forward, but she wasn't uncomfortable or unable to breathe properly. He folded both hands neatly behind him, grinning and enjoying the sight of her angered struggling. She huffed, trying to blow a lock of hair out of her face. When that didn't work, she allowed her head to fall backwards against the column, breathing a huge frustrated sigh. Loki smiled and reached forward, gently pushing the lock of hair out of her face. He hesitated, lingering with one hand gently touching the side of her face. She felt a warm tingling move through her once more at his touch. She still loved him, but she truly didn't want to. She growled and pulled her face away as best she could. He followed her movements not allowing her the distance from his tenderness that she wanted. She growled and, with her neck and back leaned as far to the side as she could manage, turned her head towards his outstretched hand. "You get that away from me or I'll bite it off!"

"Will you now?" he asked with a wry smile. He quickly took a sharp hold of her chin, forcing her to face him as he leaned down to her. "I welcome such a passionate display, my lovely little she-wolf."

"You egotistical, pig-headed, pea-brained, misogynistic . . . whack job!" Darcy shouted. She furiously struggled with the bindings, shouting and cursing without swearing and unable to finish a sentence. She gasped and finally felt energy leave her limbs and simply sat back in the chair. She groaned and sobbed a little as the feeling of defeat and desperation set in. "What do you want now?"

"I want you, Darcy," Loki replied simply. She looked up at him angrily, but said nothing. He watched her features for a few moments, hoping to see some sign of internal relenting. She had given up on trying to free herself, but she had obviously not relinquished her spirit to the idea of being his. He frowned and strode away for a moment, looking out through one of the missing wooden planks covering the windows. Starlight poured in and shone over his face like the moon itself. He sighed and turned back to her still standing a safe distance away. "Do you have any idea what you've done to me? I can't think about anything else, I am completely diverted because of your charm and it infuriates me!"

"Then just think about how much you hate your brother and leave me out of your creepy one-track minded fantasies," she quipped back, praying earnestly that he would do the opposite and continue to persist after realizing what he needed to do.

"I wish it was that simple," he sighed. "I have never known something as powerful as the hold you have on my mind and heart."

"Oh brother," she muttered, hiding the relief she felt in hearing that he had no intention of just walking away. She shook her head and looked up at him in exasperation, still clinging to the anger she had for him in being a topic for bragging rights. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Essentially yes and I also expect you to do something about it," he said forming a wicked grin as he moved toward her once more. "Don't you want to be loved truly, madly, deeply by another?"

"Great, so now you're going to start ripping off song titles to impress me?" she said annoyedly. "Why don't you just go somewhere else; go have a _**bad romance**_ with that Sif woman or Jane or something."

"Or I could show you what I could not manage a few nights ago," he remarked suggestively. "I wasn't at my best, you know."

"Wow; that sounds awesome. Let me just completely forget about all of the awful things you've said, done, and threatened to do and we can get on that right away," Darcy replied with scathing sarcasm. It completely eluded the trickster who looked back at her in elated confusion.

"Really?" he asked hopefully.

"No!" Darcy shouted. "Look you can't just mistreat someone and then expect them to change their mind about you because you want them to. You have to change yourself first."

"And you don't think I've changed?" he asked in a hurt tone, placing a hand palm first against his chest. "That's a little unfair, don't you think? You haven't given me a chance to prove myself!"

"Well you did sort of kidnap me . . . again after you led a demon into the middle of Manhattan so there really isn't much you can do now to prove that you're a changed trouble-maker!" she shouted angrily. She cried out in frustration, finding a renewed strength to pull furiously at the binding. She ceased after a few moments and panted heavily. "Getting rid of a monster doesn't change the fact that you just went and told everyone what a whore I am!"

Loki stared back at her in horror. He had done no such thing and she knew it. He glared at her for a moment and then realized that this was exactly what she had interpreted from his stint on Asgard when he had discovered the truth about her identity. A small twinge of guilt ripped at his heart yet again and he finally understood what had prompted such anger in her towards him. Hopefully it was still shallow enough of a wound to fix with words and sincerity. "That is your fear, Darcy, it is not what happened," he countered, still sounding wounded. He approached her and knelt in front of the chair, placing both hands gently over her wrists. She clenched her fingers against her palms, forming fists as best she could with the bound wrists. He sighed and began to gently stroke the backs of both wrists. "I was overwhelmed with joy; I had been with a maiden whose desires and affection were mine entirely after she had foolishly followed me into a savage forest to protect me as my herald and attempted to save my life from a lindwurm. I wanted all of Asgard to know, I wanted all of the nine realms to know, but my conscience kept me from that. It would have been disrespectful and selfish." She scoffed and snorted at this, turning her face away from him. He softly wrapped his pale fingers around her wrists, cradling them gently as he continued to speak. "But I knew I owed it to my brother to tell him that I had taken the woman he wanted for his own. I was overwhelmed by your sacrifice, your affection, and your beauty. I couldn't keep your magnificence a secret. I told my brother, the warriors three and Lady Sif just happened to be there along with that wretched excuse for a mortal that you call a friend. To be perfectly frank I was a little concerned for my brother's faculties at seeing that he had been granted access to you and had clearly chosen someone terribly inferior."

"Okay, see, I know you're lying you have to be and not just because your lips are moving, but because no one thinks Jane is inferior to me," Darcy countered hotly. She closed her eyes and lowered her head, shaking it ever so slightly as she tried to form the next few words without a couple of bitter tears falling. "I'm the mousy little assistant, I'm the annoying anti-nerd. I'm the . . . the ugly intern with hundreds of friends online and not a single friend in person because I'm too shy and awkward and stupid to make any friends with real humans."

"How can you say such things? How can you think such things?" he exclaimed. He looked more deeply into her expression and realized that she thought every word was true and had heard pieces of it in succession from others around her. That angered him, but he shoved the anger aside for the moment and breathed deeply. "Darcy," he said, reaching out and placing a hand under her chin and lifting her face to look back into his eyes. His features glowed with earnest concern and a genuineness she had never seen on him before. "Darcy you are lovely, and compassionate, and intelligent, and very brave. Nothing about that is aggravating or unappealing. Quite the opposite, in fact."

"Oh yeah? If I'm so attractive then why did you come after Jane when you had already seen me from space or wherever it is you were sending that robot from? And if I'm not annoying then why did you keep threatening me at various intervals and try to put me in the dungeon and keep that bottle of 'Darcy Suppressant' with you all the time?" she muttered sadly. He was either patronizing her or she was being shown that it was futile to fight any affection she had for this immortal. He did truly harbor love for her as well as admiration. Darcy wasn't sure if Thor had all of those feelings for Jane, but she had seen traces of them both in the blonde Adonis where they were etched wonderfully on the trickster's features. She sighed and shook her head. "Once you had me, you couldn't stand to be around me."

He chuckled. "I kept you at a safe distance because your charm distracted me," he explained. She perked up a little at this. He leaned more closely, bringing his chest almost flush with her knees. "I am truly sorry for impugning your virtue in any way and wounding your emotions, but I cannot apologize for anything else. I do not regret anything else. I would change nothing that happened."

"Nothing, huh?" Darcy asked with one brow lifted. He grinned and nodded. She smiled back and leaned forward, the trickster unaware of the anger still glistening in her green eyes. "Then you aren't really sorry, now are you?"

"Oh for the sake of all the cosmos," he groaned, standing and walking back towards the window. He sighed heavily and then turned back to her furiously. "Is there nothing that will quell the rage you've created in your pedantic disappointment? I pour my heart and soul out for you and all you can do is _**criticize**_ me!" She rolled her eyes and looked away. "But then why should you be any different from the rest of the women I've encountered."

"Other women? Oh my God, how many women have you slept with?" she exclaimed.

"One!" he shouted in reply. Darcy stared at him angrily and he paused, eyes darting back and forth as he suddenly remembered Sif. "No, wait, two. Two, that's all!"

"And you talk like you've had a lot more; yeah, that's a changed soul talking," Darcy muttered.

"Wonderful," he groaned. Darcy shook her head as he moved back in front of her. "I have little else to say to you, Darcy Lewis. I stand before you chastened and bowed, pleading with you to allow me to love you. Is that so much to ask? Why can you not tell me how I know you truly feel, that you love me and cannot live without me? Don't you want the passion we shared to live once more?"

"Are you going to let me go if I say yes?" she said with a groan.

He frowned. "Are you going to answer me honestly if I say no?"

"You're a real jerk, you know that, right?" she replied.

"Well this was pointless," he muttered half to himself. "I should've tortured you first."

"You don't count the forced sabbatical I took as torture?" Darcy said with a dry laugh. "The Geneva Convention certainly would."

"Well perhaps they could advise me as to what would work to knock sense into you," he replied angrily. She scoffed and shook her head. "Is there nothing I can say to change your humor, to bring you back to where you fell in love with me?"

"No," she said flatly, omitting that she hadn't stopped being in love with him to begin with. He frowned and turned away, feeling the sudden and odd urge to cry. He breathed deeply as Darcy tried yet again to free herself. She grunted. "It's a shame, too. You almost had the mischief thing down and then you went right back to being a giant dic . . . tator."

Loki froze. A thought crossed his mind. She had made the same comment when he had been arguing with her out in the forest. That had preceded the battle with the lindwurm, which had preceded the wonderful night of passionate love-making, which had preceded his terrible blunder and now he was trying to reason with the young woman he loved whom he had taken captive a second time and bound to cement column and chair. He thought back to what had prompted her to fall hopelessly for him. It occurred to him that she had already been quite in love with him and one particular instance was not a good comparison. Then it also occurred to him that she still loved him and one such act would catapult them back into one another's arms. He went over the comments that she had made. She had commented on the horns he had been wearing; that was out of the question and taking them off hadn't actually prompted a display of affection from her. Although, she had commented that she wanted him to take 'anything else off'. Still, that wasn't something he could count on to rekindle playful romantic feelings. She had made comments about his abilities to transform, but he had transmorphed into a dog, an animal he was told was the best friend of humankind and it had not reclaimed her heart as of yet. A broad grin crossed his features and he glanced back at her without actually turning to her. He summoned a surging of magic to him and concentrated on what he had remembered made her fall for him. In fact, it had made them fall for one another. He closed his eyes and willed the magic to surround her. Darcy's eyes widened and she felt the strange presence forming around her. The marking on her hand had indeed made her stronger against mortal injuries as well as more sensitive to the presence of magic, but it unfortunately didn't make her invulnerable to it.

"What the ? Hey! How are you, ha-ha-ha, stop!" she exclaimed as she began giggling uncontrollably. "Stop it, you're tickling me!"

"Say that you have forgiven me and that you will pledge yourself to me yet again as mine," he said firmly, folding his arms and turning back to her.

"No! Not on your life!" she cried through laughter. He smirked and watched as she began to writhe against the bindings, the surge of magic tickling all the available nerve endings that he had remembered exploiting in her before as well as a few new ones on the opposite side of her. She squealed as he extended one hand and slowly turned his wrist, willing the intensity to increase. Fortunately for him even with all of the strength in her will and the tenacity in her intellect she was still helplessly ticklish. He might not have been able to make her see things the way he wanted her to, but he could play upon a weakness that he had seen both make her tormented and delighted all at once. "Ple-hee-hee-hee-ease stop!"

"Only if you will yield to the affection I know you have for me," he said. He flicked his wrist, extending the field around her to include the rest of her torso. Darcy shrieked as she felt the magic teasing the nerves of every available inch he could manage. He smiled as she whined and pressed her chin against her chest and sobbed a little, the laughter growing somewhat louder. "Come now, this is silly. You can end all of this with a small gesture. I've done significantly more to impress you and it wasn't nearly as pleasant as what I'm doing to you."

"You think this is _**pleasant**_? This is _**torture**_!" she shouted through laughter.

"Well it isn't causing pain and I'm not asking you to risk your life," he chided. "And while I won't allow any harm to come to you, I will do whatever is necessary to break your anger."

"Alright, alri-hi-hi-hi-ight!" she laughed and sobbed all at once. She sobbed all the harder at realizing that she couldn't ignore what had been plaguing her for weeks since he had abducted her and kissed her as a means of upsetting his brother. She had been doing her utmost to forget the love for the trickster that had overcome her heart and with the assistance of her cousin and some of his means she was sure she had been close to succeeding these past three days. Inwardly, though, she had cried bitterly until falling asleep, hoping that the dreams she had would prove to be a prophecy she would wake to find fulfilled with him lying peacefully beside her. Even waking to find herself back on Sylvanheim would be a far cry better than the loneliness that had crept in with his absence. He turned his hand quickly, willing the tickling to slowly stop. She felt the magic he was using subside which gave her the presence of mind to catch her breath and to finally speak clearly. Her voice quivered ever so slightly from the laughter and the sobbing that these this confession brought to her. "I forgive you; I've missed you. It was only like one full day and it felt like an eternity, an eternity in purgatory. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you and I thought I was going to die if I didn't see you again." He sighed with relief at hearing the words from her and, more importantly, knowing that it was true. Darcy felt similar relief after the trickster's confession and knowing that he not only understood what had upset her, but also that he would refuse to be without her. It was unlikely that Jane had this same bond to this magnificent degree with Thor. He grinned and took several steps toward her as she sobbed all the harder. "I'm so angry at you, but I can't stand being away from you anymore!"

He reached down to her, waving a hand and willing the bindings and the chair to disappear. She slumped forward as he caught her, standing slowly as the two looked into one another's eyes. Loki's eyes glistened brilliant green with a surge of hope and gratitude behind them while Darcy's did the very same. She pulled him to her tightly and sobbed a little more softly. He breathed deeply and fought away the overwhelming urge to do the same. She buried her face in his tunic and felt relief in its warmth. For about the fifteenth time she contemplated making a comment on the irony of a creature with Frost Giant blood being so incredibly warm. Instead, she simply sighed and finished sobbing as he broke the silence. "I was beginning to despair; I couldn't bear another hour let alone another day without you," he sighed.

"I was getting so tired staying angry at you. Obviously not as tired as I would have been if that had gone on any longer, but almost as much," she replied. The two smirked, realizing just how similar and kindred they were to one another. She wrapped her arms more fully around him and grinned. "How much longer are we going to be here?"

"Brenhin is practically whole, and in the morning I will make ready for us to leave for Alfsheim. If it is any measure greater than this realm, it will make a suitable new home," he said cautiously. Part of him wanted her to renounce her home world, but the other part of him knew that this was selfish and ridiculous. Sadly, the selfish and ridiculous part of Loki continued to be the louder and more central part of him, at least while he was thinking of a happy life with Darcy. After all, everything he did for her was out of a selfish desire to make her happy to transitively make him happy. Darcy said nothing and buried her head in his chest. She didn't care where they were. She knew where they were going and she was absolutely sure that they would be going there together . . . for a lengthy stay.


	41. Very Like A Bridge

_(((For those of you that have read one specific example of my other stories, you'll realize that there is a slight crossover of characters in this chapter for a brief moment and it was the only really awesome way I could explain the construct of the Bifrost as well as give them a path away from Midgard that Loki can use without much magic. Enjoy and if you know the name of the bear below . . . you are awesome and an active reader! Happy Ides of March and Late Pi Day!)))_

Chapter 41: Very Like a Bridge

On Sylvanheim, Eldred had furiously destroyed a set of old bottles containing benign potions; he was furious that his powerful apprentice had managed to escape Surtur's wrath again. While ranting and breaking a number of benign objects around the empty fortress, Eldred came upon something he hadn't seen in years. A lindwurm's skull with several teeth intact had been left behind a very old pile of books and scrolls. The old sorcerer remembered when the skull had been a full-fledged severed head and he had presented it to Brenhin to mount on the wall. It was shortly after Loki had entered into an apprenticeship with him and he had carelessly tried to touch a single fang on the creature. Eldred hadn't intervened, feeling that if the boy was foolish enough to touch the fang then he deserved the consequences. Brenhin felt differently and had pulled the young trickster several feet away from the head, scolding him repeatedly for the attempt and explaining that the fangs always carry poison and are rough-edged to ensure absorption of the poison in any creature. Even an immortal could be subdued in a painful, miserable way by the fang of a lindwurm. Eldred grinned and reached down for the skull with a pair of coal tongs. He removed a fang and looked it over happily.

In Manhattan, Nick Fury had done his best to get all the information he could from Rogers and to keep Stark from attacking him. The team had re-assembled at his bequest and in the meantime he had viewed video footage of what had happened between the trickster and the demon. He had seen Loki disappear with Rogers after using the soldier's shield to protect Darcy. He had then seen him confront the demon, using the shield to create the ice path. Finally, he had seen the demon depart after words with the trickster which led to Loki disappearing, leaving the shield and the destruction of the demon behind. Nick Fury had derived from the footage and from Rogers' information that Loki had genuinely spared the city and seemed to be connected to Darcy emotionally (something that he had taken into account when Jane had first demanded resources be used to find her) without the desire to do any further real harm to earth. This wasn't as shocking as any of the other agents might have found it for Fury who noted that if Thor could've scored a beautiful woman so quickly it would've been that much quicker for his charismatic brother to do the same. Stark hadn't at all been convinced or comforted by Fury's conclusion and had vowed to do everything in his power to retrieve Darcy and thrash Loki.

"If you guys are just going to sit on your butts after letting Captain Crisis-maker hand a hostage over to the enemy, then I'll have to go elsewhere," He snarled. "They won't put up with this kind of thing in Jersey."

"Mr. Stark, I'd like to remind you that in the absence of a call to arms you are still a consultant and not backed by this organization in the use of force against anyone," Fury said calmly. Stark glared at him. "If you go after him, it will be without my consent and it will probably be seen by your government as provocation not to mention what he'll see it as."

"You're unbelievable, you know that?" Stark shot back angrily, He turned and looked at the rest of the team in turn. "All of you, unbelievable. Fine. You're not the only government branch that wants a piece of him, of anyone like him."

"Mr. Stark, there is something bigger going on, something we obviously can't handle or see at the moment," Natasha added. He turned and scowled at her. "I don't think she would've stood there with him if there wasn't something else. She might be trying to accomplish something with him that will keep anything else from attacking us."

"Amazing, all of you," he said sarcastically with a tone of angry resolve. "You let him slip once and you decide it was on purpose and to let him go, Fine. I'm outta here."

"Mr. Stark, I don't think Miss Lewis is in danger as long as she . . ." Rogers began.

Stark whirled around, hatefully staring at the youth. "You know, I was willing to play along with this charade of being a super-squad full of selfish freaks, but I had no idea that the first ever government test-tube soldier would ever put a civilian directly in harm's way," Stark snarled. Rogers frowned and looked away. "If anyone needs me, I'll be unavailable . . . indefinitely."

The team shook their heads sadly. Natasha and Rogers exchanged glances with Fury and then with the others. Both had ties to Stark that ran a little deeper than the rest of the group and both of them knew that if they didn't keep on top of his actions, they might soon be butting heads with a part of their own bureaucracy that loved to keep things wrapped tightly in red tape and at their own discretion, much like Stark himself. The group spoke quietly amongst themselves about the next course of action until another agent burst into the room. "Sir," the interrupting agent said breathlessly. "Sir, there's a massive swelling of energy . . . one of them is to the west of us, but only slightly."

"One of them?" Fury asked. "I thought you said there was _**a**_ swelling of energy."

"I meant two, sir, I apologize," he said quickly looking terribly pale. The rest of the team was not comforted by this. "The other one is over a research facility in Antarctica and it doesn't look like anything we've encountered before. Not with the hammer, not with Thor, not with anything."

"That's not in our jurisdiction. D.C. had agents from their 'monster hunters' out there recently and they're not done with it, "Fury replied as he hurried out of the room and toward the control center. The man obediently followed without asking any questions, as did Coulson and the rest of the team. "What's the solid on its materials? Is it radioactive?"

"No sir," the man replied. Fury looked down at the images, furrowed his dark brow and then turned back to the man in confusion. The man sighed and gestured toward the screen. "It's solar."

(*)

Darcy breathed deeply and stretched. Loki was asleep beside her, most of their limbs having been intertwined for a good few hours. After exchanging stories about their brief parting Darcy had once again succumb to the overwhelming desires for him that she had developed quickly. It was terribly easy to fall in love with the trickster; even with his changing temper and hostile arrogance, Loki was still more interesting and charming than anyone she had ever met before. He even surpassed Thor in those regards. Darcy closed her eyes once more and tried to drift back to sleep. Once the sorcerer had awakened and the morning had broken over the icy wasteland, they would leave for Alfsheim. Darcy began to envision what Alfsheim would look like with all of the Norse-versions of elves. Memories of images from Middle Earth came to mind and she began to feel anxious and excited about departing. Loki breathed deeply as well, but didn't stir. Darcy glanced over at the boarded-up windows. There was no light coming through and she wasn't entirely sure how sunlight and hours of daylight worked here in the Southern Hemisphere. She looked back at the image of the sleeping face of her beloved. She noticed that his eyes were twitching rapidly beneath their lids and his breathing had all but stopped. She knew that he was dreaming, but she wondered what could've been racing through the trickster's mind. Was he dreaming about facing the demon again or perhaps about the deep, passionate love they had made shortly after completely forgiving one another? Either way, he was well involved in it and lying completely still otherwise.

Darcy gasped as she suddenly noticed something odd and beautiful. She lifted herself on one elbow and looked over the raven hair hanging ever so slightly over his pale cheeks. Hidden ever so slightly, but not so hidden as to be completely unnoticed by the pryful human, Darcy could see that Loki's ears had changed during sleep. They came to a perfect point and looked almost cosmetic if not for the fact that they seemed to shift with his breathing. Every few moments the point would lessen on an exhale and then sharpen with inhaling. She carefully reached out and pulled the hair over his left ear away with her hand, softly stroking the edge of his ear with delight. His breathing stopped yet again and now his eyes were still as well. She smiled and leaned down, pressing her lips against his temple as he began to stir. He awoke slowly, clearly more at ease in this place and beside her than he had been in some time. Darcy could no longer contain herself and reached out to touch one ear. She frowned as the point disappeared, seeming to vanish as sleep left him as well.

"Awwww," she groaned sadly. He narrowed his gaze at her inquisitively. "Your ears went back to normal."

"Went back to normal?" he asked, still confused.

"Mmm-hmm," she replied as she climbed out from underneath the set of blankets he had transformed from an old set of uniforms lying in the corner of one room. She sighed and pulled on her clothing, amazed that he had still managed to use power throughout the night to keep the building at an even and comfortable temperature. "They were all pointy and cute, like a real elf."

"Not something I strive for," he muttered, lying back against the floor and sighing. She ran her fingers quickly through her long, wavy hair and straightened her jacket before snuggling up beside him once more. She laid her head and shoulders over his torso and placed her right hand against the strong, steady beat of his heart. He grinned and placed both arms around her, kissing the top of her head and taking in every ounce of the moment. "I'm not sure what we'll encounter once in Alfsheim. My brother and I only went to that realm once and not for very long. Elves are a particular breed and do not like outsiders regardless of their bloodline. I believe we stayed a full hour before Heimdall retrieved us and father lectured us about wandering off without cause."

"So they're kind of like what I'm used to seeing. I mean, most elves in movies and books don't like humans or other creatures like us because we're big and awkward and I guess because we're mortal," she replied.

"I am none of those things, Thor is only one of those things, and the only one of our friends that could boast two of that description is Volstagg," Loki corrected. "Elves are reclusive by choice because they believe they are superior in intellect and power."

"That too," Darcy said with a shrug.

"How did you become familiar with the elves in your world? I was under the impression they had purposefully segregated themselves from humans entirely," he asked. Darcy shifted.

"I'm not really familiar with them. I've read about all kinds of elves here and in other places; you know like the books you had in that library about all those other realms with descriptions and stories about the people that lived there," she explained. He nodded. Her eyes seemed to light up at realizing something wonderful. "So there really are magical creatures here? On earth?"

"Oh yes; elves, dwarves and dwerger, goblins and hobgoblins, the Fey and Fair-folk, trolls, dragons, changelings, griffins," he said, listing off creatures as if reciting an old menu. He grinned more brightly and looked into her eyes. "And of course there are enchanting young maidens, as well." She smiled in return and scooted closer to him, taking hold of one of his hands, folding her fingers around it, and resting it over his chest. "Then again, most of those end up elsewhere."

"Not that that's a bad thing," she replied casually. The two laughed until a voice from the room adjacent to theirs shattered the moment.

"Unless you consider the mingling of mortal blood with sorcery a good thing, not to mention the trail of broken and sorrowed hearts that lie in the wake of creatures like Odin and that wicked Loki," Brenhin announced from the next room. The two frowned and sighed. "I can't seem to find the strength in my knees to walk fully, but seeing as both of you are alert I think it best we leave at once."

"Know your place, old man," Loki shouted in reply, though not cruelly. "I will do the thinking about what is best."

"Oh good," Brenhin said in a voice clearly meant to be loud enough for the two to hear. "In that case, we're in for a full season of delightful exploit, a veritable romp through fields of buttercups and whatever else is left behind by whatever is following you."

"Where does he find the energy to be that difficult while still recovering? Eldred almost killed him . . . _**I**_ just might," Loki muttered unhappily. Darcy smacked his chest with the other hand reproachfully. He looked down at her and sighed once more. "He's right, though. We should be on our way shortly."

"How are we going to get there, anyway? Last night you said you weren't going to teleport us anymore since Eldred would be able to see it," she reasoned.

"There is much to be had in the atmosphere of your realm in building bridges. They're flimsy and short-lived, but they do in a pinch," he said. He stood and walked over to the boarded-window and glanced out at the horizon, pensively shifting his features. "The hardest part will be taking hold of the magic of the lights."

"You're a magic-user, isn't that kind of what you do every day?" she asked.

He chuckled and shook his head. "The magic in your realm's sky is patterned to fit the creatures of your world most efficiently. The sun, which creates the energy I need to use here, is specifically designed to nurture your kind and the beings of Midgard alone. I can use it, but it will be considerably more difficult," he replied. She nodded. "If only Brenhin had been born here and not in Alfsheim. Although, the breed of your realm is not something I believe any of the race in Alfsheim would ever consider being bound to heart and soul."

"Why? Are they tiny like the ones in cartoons and stuff?" Darcy asked innocently.

He laughed and turned away from the window as she approached him. He placed both arms around her once more and the two stood quietly for several moments in one another's company. "No, but believe me if I had been born of a she-elf from Midgard and Laufey, there would have been no hiding it from me for any length of time in Asgard," he replied. As Darcy leaned against him and the world seemed to be standing perfectly still for them, another sound shattered the moment. Darcy looked in confusion up at Loki as the two heard a massive roar in the distance.

"That's not another demon you owe your sight or your memories or something else to, is it?" Darcy groaned, hiding the fear that had shaken her at hearing the noise. Loki gave her a harsh look and then headed for the doorway, pushing her behind him. "Wait! Where are you going?"

"Stay here," he commanded. She looked around for a moment, trying to think of something else to say or some other explanation for the noise to comfort herself. He hesitated and narrowed his eyes at her. "I mean it, Darcy, stay right here. If you disobey me, I will take it to mean you do not respect or love me."

"Not fair," she muttered angrily, folding her arms.

Satisfied that he had given her enough incentive to stay put, Loki hurried out into the hallway, glancing into Brenhin's room. He sat against the wall, staring out the window and remaining perfectly still. Loki suddenly realized that Brenhin had recognized the sound at least in part. "What is it, Brenhin?" he asked.

"A bear," he replied. Loki looked completely taken aback by this. Bears, of any breed, did not live here at all. The great, white northern bears lived at the other end of the realm. "A bear in appearance, that is what creates the sound. King Tapio takes a similar form." Brenhin turned and looked at Loki, trembling and eyes ablaze with fear. "The elves of this realm are our kindred as well in a distant past . . . an unpleasant past. Asgard and Alfsheim were purposefully and powerfully distanced from their kind long before Odin spared humanity from Laufey's attack."

"And you think one of them has taken Tapio's form and has found us?" Loki asked.

"No," Brenhin replied softly. "I believe the form was taken before the finding was done. I also have reason to believe that this will not be a heart-warming reunion as it will be on Alfsheim."

"If they want to quarrel, they can be easily dealt with," Loki muttered with a dismissive wave and then hurried down the hall and out of the building. He heard Brenhin call after him, but ignored it. There had been enough discord amongst immortals over the past few weeks. If any Midgard elf was foolish enough to challenge the trickster, he wanted to give him enough of a lesson to never cross paths with him, or any other Asgardian, ever again. He stormed out into the snow and ice, already growling and preparing himself to tangle with another magical shape-shifter regardless of form. "Alright, fool, show yourself!"

"Turn around, son of Odin," a loud and powerful voice announced. Loki froze and listened carefully. The creature must have been incredibly cunning to have moved upon him so quickly without making a sound. Had the voice matched a human or Asgardian form, Loki thought it would've matched the All-Father perfectly. He slowly turned and lowered his gaze as he faced the creature. As he stood, facing the massive beast, he slowly looked up. His blood churned anxiously in his veins at the sight that met him. He had seen white bears and other natural predators on Midgard before, fascinated by their enormous eyes and musculature, but this creature was far larger than any arctic bear he had ever seen. At least twice the size of any other arctic bear and its eyes were incredibly unique; they glowed a brilliant amber with large pupils encircled with a thin layer of bright red. The bear stood upright, towering over him for the time being. It slowly lowered itself back to all fours and sauntered around him, appraising him and putting himself between the trickster and the door. "You're not quite what I expected, Thor, Son of Odin."

"I am Loki, son of Marya," the trickster replied proudly. As he had expected, the look in the bear's eyes shifted from hateful to amazed. The mention of the daughter of Tapio seemed to strike something familiar in the bear's mind. It moved forward instantly, sniffing intently and looking him over more carefully, circling and huffing with his mouth slightly open. "I wish to depart from here with my servant and my consort."

"Indeed," the bear said looking at him with greater intrigue. "I assume that Tapio is unaware of your presence here."

"I've never met him," Loki replied quickly. The bear snorted in surprise at this and the two suddenly noticed the dazzling streams of light as they danced through the frozen sky. They turned back to one another after a beat. "It is a long and complicated story . . ."

"I am aware of the stories of your upbringing, Loki," the bear replied with a broad grin. "As well as your recent actions in the rest of this realm and I must tell you that you should feel fortunate that the rest of my people were distracted. The champions of humankind are fierce, but they are nothing next to the pride of Bethmoora's army."

"You are the king of Elfland," Loki realized aloud. The bear stood upright and smiled.

"The same and Tapio's third cousin twice removed. Not so distant a past as Brenhin would like to believe, but distant enough," the king said as he shook his fur. "But you seek to return to a more familiar, a more agreeable world for yourself."

"There is a sorcerer that seeks my life and the lives of Brenhin and my consort . . ."

"I wonder how well Tapio will take to the news that his only suitable grandson, reared in the halls of the All-Father who betrayed him, has taken a human to wife," the bear mused. Loki looked back at the beast in slight deliberation. The bear took a few steps past him, lowered back to all fours once more. "Then again, I wonder how well Darcy will take to the news that you have claimed her in further commitment than she is aware of."

"How do you know her name?" Loki demanded in confusion.

The bear stood upright one final time and pulled back his ears, grunting and huffing into the air as it formed puffs of steam that reflected the glowing colours above them. To his surprise, the bear seemed to be breathing in the lights. In a flash, he growled and opened his massive jaws, snapping his teeth shut around a thick, long strand of orange, blue, and green light. He growled again and released his core muscles, dropping to the ground and slamming his muzzle into the ice. The lights twisted and danced before colliding with the frozen surface and then stiffened into a firm path much like the ice Loki had formed in Manhattan. The energy within the light began to fizzle with more colour and appeared to be as sturdy as the Bifrost had been. Loki stared back at the bear in disbelief and wondered for a moment if the bridge hadn't been built using the same sort of magic years before . . . with Mjolnir.

"I know many things about you, son of Marya," the bear replied. "I watched you, all of you, last night silently. I wish you luck in rejoining with your kind. Tapio will no doubt be greatly moved by your return."

"Moved to compassion or contempt?" Loki asked in concern. He was already uncertain about the notion of going to Alfsheim and revealing who he was, but seeing a Midgard elf in animal form speaking so cryptically made him even more uncertain. The bear grinned at him and turned, sauntering into the stark white distance. "Wait! What do I say to him? What can I tell him that would make him accept our presence?"

"You are a prince of Asgard," the bear replied over his shoulder. "Now, you will have to be a prince of Alfsheim."


	42. Alfskind, Humankind, and Asgard Above

Chapter 42: Alfskind, Humankind, and Asgard Above

Jane and Thor stood looking over the realm of Asgard from one of the palace balconies. Jane sighed heavily and looked up at her champion with deep concern. "Your friends have been gone for over a day and that other guy's been gone longer," she observed. He lowered his head for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Maybe someone should go looking for them."

"If the bridge hadn't been destroyed so fully then retrieving them would've been nothing," he said remorsefully. He didn't regret sparing Jotunheim, though it really didn't serve him one way or the other for the Jotuns to be alive. He had done the right thing, but the cost was growing beyond inconvenient. He looked out into the distance, frowning. "The magic used to travel cannot be done so lightly and I'm not sure father would approve of me leaving the realm so soon again."

"There's no way that your brother could've done something evil with them, is there?" she asked nervously.

Thor smirked. "Not without a thorough beating from Sif and I don't see Loki standing against her for very long," he said with amusement. He remembered the brief scuffles they had gotten into in their earlier years as friends as well as the head-butting she and Loki had done. The trickster had backed down outwardly within a few seconds of an argument, something that Sif had resented. Still, they had indeed butted heads on more than one occasion and Thor was willing to believe that Loki had changed enough in leaving Asgard and in commanding an army all his own to take Sif on more readily and more ferociously. "I believe we would have heard from one of them in some form if he had been there."

"But that visionary, the little girl, she said he was headed for that realm," Jane added.

"Yes, but according to Volstagg, Drifa's visions and prophecies can be fulfilled presently or after years and years of leading others along the same path," he continued. "I doubt Loki would take Darcy with him to Alfsheim if he has any real affection for her, which he no doubt has given that he was willing to lay himself bare before her."

"That doesn't make it right; what he did on earth, what he did to her, what he made her to do him . . ." Jane said, shaking her head sadly. "It's just, it's been like two days and no one's made contact. Doesn't that bother you?"

"In a sense, but I also know how capable my friends are," he said with a wink. "Particularly Sif."

(*)

"Well done, Fandral, another story to add to your ever-increasing collection of fictitious encounters!" Sif shouted at her friend.

The other three warriors watched the warrioress pacing back and forth angrily. They had been taken captive after arriving on Alfsheim to find Volstagg. They had found him easily, being taken directly to the same cell where he had been held for three days. While the four were quite certain that Thor would be along after them in no time at all, Sif was still infuriated to have been caught so off-guard and to have been lied to by the oracle. Loki wasn't here and the elves that had captured them seemed to show either contempt or amusement at the mention of the trickster's name. Regardless of how quickly Thor would come for them they had still been humiliated by their own flaws in front of one another.

"In my defense, when a woman aims a bow at me it often means something else," Fandral said. Volstagg stifled a chuckle and Sif growled. "Besides, it isn't as though they're threatening to kill us. I'm sure this is simply some kind of political issue and Thor will have us out of here in no time."

"If we haven't escaped first," Sif corrected hotly.

"They took us captive while we were alert and able-bodied," Fandral replied. The other three turned and glared at him. "What? It isn't likely that we'll escape from creatures with superior senses."

"Their senses might be superior," Sif remarked as she leaned against the wall. "But if _**anyone**_ among them finds you alluring, their intellect is clearly challenged."

(*)

Darcy and Brenhin followed Loki to the small, narrow bridge and gazed at it in amazement. Darcy nearly shrieked in delight at seeing the southern lights still dancing in the sky, something she said wasn't usually visible to her people without substantial equipment. The beautiful swirling colours within the magical glass-like ice were dazzling; so dazzling that even Brenhin marveled at them. "That's incredible! You made that?" Darcy asked, wondering if he had made the bridge the same way he had made the icicle that had killed the Lindwurm. She turned; shivering a little despite the magic Loki had placed around both her and Brenhin to prevent any possibility of freezing to death. "You used that magic crystal cube thing to make that, didn't you?"

"Actually, the Casket of Ancient Winters has been destroyed . . . recently, though its power could be restored with my help, I'm sure," he corrected, contemplating the best way to get both of them across the simple and very unstable bridge. "And I was not the one who created the bridge here itself," he continued. He turned to Brenhin with a look that combined excitement and concern. "It was the elf king . . . of Bethmoora."

"Impossible," Brenhin muttered. "They are all of them well hidden in the western world," he continued and then muttered something to himself that Darcy could barely understand. She turned her attention back to the sparkling miniature Bifrost. Loki watched her and was reminded of some of the images he had seen of young maidens from Midgard marveling at displays of magic and fantastic creatures. The very sight of dragons and one-horned beasts had captured the attention of maidens and artists for centuries. A thought came to him and he quickly turned back to his companions. Darcy nodded to Brenhin, silently agreeing with the trickster but still taking in the magic around her. She felt warmth spreading through the mark on her hand. She thought for a moment and then, quickly, took Brenhin's hand with hers. He wasn't at himself enough to realize that she was scanning his thoughts. _At least he didn't get himself killed a moment ago, but one can only imagine what kind of grief he'll bring down on them when he announces his ties to a human. It won't matter how wonderful she might be and good for him, Tapio has never been tolerant of marriage between stations let alone between races_. Darcy froze; marriage? Is that what Loki wanted, what he had decided between them? _Oh well, at least Thor will be within earshot when the little snipe starts crying for help_.

Darcy released his hand quickly and pensively rubbed her shoulders. Brenhin glanced at her for a moment in confusion, but then turned back to the bridge deep in thought and obvious worry. Darcy watched him in confusion as he knelt and placed his hands on the ice, bowing on all fours like an animal. She watched as Loki suddenly and smoothly transformed back into the same horse-form that he had used to take Brenhin to safety. "We must hurry before any of the rest of earth's heroes find a way to follow us and Eldred suspects I've gone," he said. "Not to mention the bridge itself may not last for very long despite the strength in sorcery I'm sure the old bear carries with him."

Brenhin said nothing and climbed quickly onto the trickster's back. Darcy continued to stare at the horse version of her beloved in amazement as well as the bridge. Brenhin sighed and reached down, taking Darcy in one arm and setting her on Loki in front of him. She reached down and ran her fingers lovingly through his mane, amazed at how wonderful the silken strands felt. Even in animal form he was well-groomed and pristine. The servant wrapped his arms around her as the three turned and faced the pathway to the sky. Loki carefully stepped onto the delicate, magical surface and began ascending. He trotted slowly at first, wanting to make sure nothing was going to collapse beneath him, and then began a full gallop. He glanced over his shoulder at the sight of Darcy, the wind of the cosmos flying through her long, dark hair and her eyes glistening like the stars around them. The passages between worlds, when magic was used, were safe even for mortal children, but without magic there would have been no air, no warmth, and certainly very little light. He hurried forward, concentrating on the location of Alfsheim. The nearest realm to Alfsheim was Fyornheim, another hidden realm like Sylvanheim that was home to many demons. Demons like Surtur dwelled in Fyornheim with their prey and copious arrays of traps and dungeons. Loki shuddered inwardly at remembering his promise to Surtur and glanced back at Darcy again. He frowned and cleared his throat.

"Darcy, there's something I have to tell you," he said as he slowed back to trotting, glancing in either direction to make sure his path was sound. Balor's magic had clearly been strong enough in Loki's presence to fit the bridge throughout the worlds . . . either that or with the trickster's influence it remained one length that contained itself under them as they headed toward Alfsheim. Darcy pulled a few locks of hair out of her face and looked down at her beloved, placing a hand on the side of his neck as she waited for him to tell her whatever it was that was troubling him for the time being. "It's about the demon that tried to lay waste to the city, the one that I fought when collecting you."

"You mean the thing that you owed your soul to?" she asked.

He frowned all the more. "Yes, about that," he said unhappily. He cleared his throat again. "I had to promise him something else in order to stave off his wrath."

Darcy looked stunned and frightened. She placed a hand defensively on her chest. "Oh man, you didn't promise him my soul did you?" she asked anxiously. Before he could speak she began to shudder. "Did you?"

"No, of course not. I would never endanger someone I love to escape a monster," he replied. Brenhin scoffed at this and Loki stood still for a beat, turning and glaring at the servant. Brenhin shook his head and looked away for a moment. "It's just, I promised him a part of me, a part of me that I . . ." he began. She looked down at him confusedly and he simply sighed, shaking his head. "Never mind; it's not important right now and I'm sure my father will find a way to help me solve it."

"Are we almost there? I'm starting to feel weird," Darcy announced. She scratched the palm of her marked hand and groaned. She was feeling somewhat lightheaded which the two could've attributed either to the journey or to the marking as they grew nearer to a more powerfully magical realm than Midgard. A hint of swirling green and gold in the distance caught Loki's attention. Less than a moment later it caught the attention of Brenhin who was filled with a familiar dread at its sight. Darcy looked at him in concern before he shook his head and turned away. "Is that it?" she asked, pointing towards the surge of colours that surrounded what looked like the planetarium image of earth. Loki grunted and nodded. Darcy smirked and patted his neck. "Two for yes, remember?" she said with a laugh.

"As adept as most horses might be at arithmetic, none of them expect humans to understand language much less the number system," he corrected as they continued on. "Hence the silence in your presence as a general rule."

"So animals think we're stupid?" she asked innocently.

"No," Loki replied as he leapt forward with a loud whinny. Darcy cried out and grabbed hold of his mane with both hands and squeezed her legs around his back as tightly as she could manage. A blast of cold wind that fizzled with what seemed to be electric energy surrounded them and Darcy was reminded of the flashing images in television shows when spaceships entered their 'warp' modes. She grinned and was tempted to put her arms up as if on a thrilling carnival ride; her instincts knew better and she continued to cling tightly to Loki instead. Brenhin held tightly to what he could of the mane as well, though remained silent, his heart thundering with anticipation as all six of Loki's hooves landed on the verdant surface of Alfsheim. Darcy panted heavily as they continued walking for a few paces. "They know you're stupid . . . well, that is, most humans are stupid. Some of you are somewhat intelligent."

Brenhin dismounted first and helped Darcy awkwardly to the ground. He glanced around at where they had landed with an uncomfortable anxiety in his features. There was a large stream near them and Loki had managed to bring them into a clearing at the edge of one of the thickest forests in the realm. Brenhin recognized this as being the clearing closest to the pathway leading to Tapio's palace, or rather, what was left of it. Laufey had left the kingdom in ruins, but a great deal had been rebuilt. Its grandeur hadn't been restored and its somber, almost skeletal appearance was yet another testimony to the emptiness Tapio felt at the loss of his darling Marya. Loki slowly transformed back into his usual form and realized that he didn't feel as drained or exhausted here in using magic. Clearly Midgard was lacking in that respect and now he could defend his beloved and his servant most effectively. As he instructed the other two to follow, he also realized that a sense of that same effect had overtaken Darcy. The ordinary green of her eyes glowed a crystalline shade of emerald that didn't seem real and there was a peaceful yet stimulated smile crossing her lips and rosy cheeks that he hadn't seen even curled up next to her following their trysting. He watched her for a few moments as did Brenhin. The servant looked nonplussed about the whole thing and shook his head.

"I told you to never let a mortal touch a magic stone of any kind I'm sure," he muttered as he moved past and deeper into the forest. "Perhaps not outright and not at a time that you remember, but I'm sure I've said it before."

"This is amazing," Darcy said with a wispy and wonderful voice, now seeming more melodic than ever to him. She turned and beamed happily at him. "This is really where you belong, isn't it? I can feel that, it feels just like you."

"I've never spent more than a few brief moments in passing here," he said cautiously, watching her movements with slight amusement. She was child-like, completely immersed in the splendid energy of the immortals that dwelled in this realm, but so very aged as well. He reached out and took her hand, trying to bring her back to the ground in spirit and thought for the time being. "We must be close together if we're going to meet . . . my grandfather," he said, practically forcing the title from a reserved part of his heart and out through lips unused to the idea of grandparents or their affection. She continued to stare up at the sky and then back at the trees. He frowned, now sensing a little more prudence and sobriety would be best for the situation. There was no knowing how Tapio would respond to them and the last thing he wanted to have at his side was an elf-mazed mortal. "Come, Darcy, we're not far from our destination."

She sighed contentedly and suddenly wrapped her arms around him. Loki could feel warmth from her enchanted hand pulsing brightly. A twinge of worry moved through him all the more at thinking what Tapio's reaction to such a marking would be. There were tensions between the Alfskind and other races, Asgard and Nornheim notwithstanding the same hostility in return, and he was sure that there would be an even less pleasant response to a mortal bearing Norn magic. He reached down to his belt and withdrew a length of rope, willing it to become silken cloth. Darcy watched him as he reached down and took her hand, wrapping it carefully in the cloth. She looked all the more intrigued as he finished and then, without warning, wrapped her arms tightly around him. He looked from side to side, realizing that Brenhin had disappeared. He groaned and frowned at Darcy's inexplicable display of affection.

"This is perfect," she said. He could now tell that her tone had been overtaken by whatever magic protected the Norn Queen's Eye. Perhaps some sort of barrier-field protected Tapio's realm and it was reacting poorly with the Norn marking. "I just want to stay here forever, you know?"

"No, I don't know and neither do you. This is magic at work and the sooner we make it through the forest and into the protection of my mother's people, the better," he said, anger beginning to replace the worry. He looked around once more. "Where is Brenhin off to now?" Darcy smirked and suddenly pulled free of him, darting away. He groaned and took a step towards her. "This is no time for games, we're not welcome here at the moment."

Darcy gazed back at him and giggled, racing a few feet further away and darting behind a tree. "Come on, you're supposed to be a child of the forest, remember? You're among your own kind!" she laughed. He frowned and shook his head. She turned, darting in another direction. He watched her carefully and smirked a little at how easily she forget his many merits. Darcy breathed sharply and reveled in her pounding heart. She was another world away from her own, but here was where she had longed to be since she had been a little girl. An entire realm of enchanted forests filled with elves and magical creatures. She leaned against a tree, suddenly overwhelmed by remembering that the prince of the elves, the legendary trickster, was her beloved and he wanted more than the brief binding of souls they had warmed themselves in for at least two nights so far. She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment and then realized she felt someone standing directly in front of her. She grinned and spoke without opening her eyes. "I knew you couldn't resist my feminine wiles. Your flesh is weak . . . in places." She laughed, but didn't hear any change in his careful breathing or stern expression as he stood. For some reason, Darcy could hear sternness around him even though she couldn't see him and now she frowned at it. "Loki, is something . . ." she began and opened her eyes. She gasped and stared back into a set of glowing green eyes that were not her lover's. The man moved a step closer to her, dressed similarly to Brenhin and with the pointed ears she had expected to see in this realm, but with a scowl and glare she hadn't expected at all. Her heart began to race in fear and she pressed her back against the tree. "Loki!"

The trickster took the form of the sleek, black fox that had found Darcy reading his journal. If Darcy was going to be this odd for the moment, then perhaps he could persuade her to quickly follow him if he became as precocious a creature at least for a few moments. He romped off in the direction he had seen her run, yipping and barking playfully for her. He stopped after a moment and glanced around carefully. His ears caught the sound of at least three people surrounding him. He froze and sniffed the air cautiously. He was definitely surrounded. He took a step backwards and groaned unhappily, lifting one paw in anxiousness. He wasn't sure what the hunting habits of the elves on Alfsheim were, for that matter he wasn't sure of the culture of any breed of elf on any realm. The bear form of what must have been King Balor was the closest he had come to a proper elf and Brenhin had neglected to mention anything about his kind throughout their time together.

"Loki, help!" Darcy screamed from somewhere in the distance. His ears perked up and he darted toward the sound a few paces. "Loki!"

He quickly began bounding towards her voice, keeping himself in the form of the fox not merely for speed, but also to keep whoever was watching from seeing his true form. He hurried through the forest guided only by the sound of her voice. The trees and brush became a hazel green blur as he raced through the dense forest. Alfsheim was clearly verdant and lovely, but he didn't have the time to take it in at the moment. He could now hear someone else nearby moving just as quickly. He was being followed. Now he could make out the sounds of a second figure keeping pace with him. He growled and grew closer to Darcy's voice. Her shouts for him were suddenly muffled and his heart sank. Perhaps he should've changed back to his true form just to attract the attention of whoever had hold of her. He wasn't sure that the native elves were the ones involved, still unsure that elves did anything but hide in their settlements. The magical beings that acted as their sentinels were what had prompted Thor and the rest to leave so long ago. Loki suddenly remembered that he still had at least one of the magic seals that Brenhin had given him. He could get Darcy away from whatever had hold of her and then use the seal to conceal her mortal form.

The man stared at Darcy, nearly nose to nose with her, and then suddenly looked behind him. He frowned and leapt upward, disappearing into the trees. As Loki found his way to where Darcy stood, trembling and clutching the side of a tree, he realized that one of the beings that had followed him was closer than ever. He hurried over to Darcy and stood, slowly facing the ensuing enemy. It was a younger she-elf, no older than Darcy would have been by human standards, with fiery red hair and eyes similar to his own. She stared at the two for a moment and then smiled as he pulled Darcy close to him and stared harshly at the new acquaintance. He reached into his robes and found the seal, wondering if it was too late to try and use it on Darcy's appearance. The strange woman narrowed her eyes at the two for a moment. Loki kept his hand firmly against Darcy's chest and gripped a magic seal still concealed in his robes. The she-elf's eyes suddenly lit up with recognition and she seemed to relax and fill with excitement all at once. Her face continued to soften as she took a step towards them.

"Loki?" she asked carefully. Darcy noted that, even from her awkward angle, Loki suddenly became shocked. Sylvannheim was, as he had said, a hidden realm similar to Midgard and none of the stories from Asgard, if any, would have reached this secluded woodland. How would she know his name? Her face lit up more brightly and she rushed toward him. "Loki!" she cried happily and, without warning, threw her arms around him and landed both of them on the ground. He grunted in surprise and frustration as she kissed his face repeatedly and tenderly. "You're alive! You're alive after all! I knew Laufey would be undone! I knew it!"

"Madam!" Loki exclaimed, trying to pry the amorous youth off of him as he scrambled to sit upright. He managed to not only free himself but also scoot several feet backwards and take hold of Darcy yet again. "Contain yourself! I do not know how you know my name or my father's name, but I assure you that I have never seen you before in my life."

"Don't you recognize me? I was your mother's nursemaid, Narfi! You don't recognize me at all? Oh, what am I saying? Of course you wouldn't remember me!" she said with an excitement that unsettled him all the more. He groaned and took a step backwards realizing that he was pressing both himself and Darcy into a tree. She shifted and moved to his side, gripping his arm in confusion. The woman approached, clutching her hands in front of him like a grandmother admiring her child's offspring. "You were just a baby then. You were just a little ball of blue and green, all smiles, and giggles, and sunshine. You were such a well-tempered child. Your mother glowed as brilliantly as the full moon you were born under, the first time we all laid eyes on you." Darcy looked up at Loki in even greater bewilderment. He already looked awkward enough by comparison to the two races that had been his families; not nearly as big and blue as a Jotun yet certainly not as blonde and brawny as an Asgardian. Not to mention his eyes; Jotuns had red eyes while nearly all Asgardians had crystal blue eyes. The woman continued forward until she was close enough to touch the side of Loki's face. "And now you've returned to us, the heir to the throne of Tapio, the King!"

"Heir?" he said in confusion. The she-elf grinned and gestured for the two to follow what Loki now realized was the pathway leading towards not only his grandfather's palace, but his own future kingdom.


	43. A Chance to Follow

_(((Happy Birthday Robert Downey Jr., and in a transitive sense to Tony Stark/Iron Man! Thank you for making the incredible contribution to Marvel and film and we all look forward to watching you get completely thrashed by Loki!)))_

Chapter 43: A Chance to Follow

It had been less than an hour into their stay on Alfsheim and already Loki was feeling ill at ease. In fact, at the moment he almost wished he was back on Asgard at the mercy of his father's temper or his brother's ridicule. Narfi led them to a larger group of elves, none of which seemed pleased to see him. Darcy noted that the rest of the group was practically glaring at both of them, but at Loki more than her. Darcy thought for a moment about asking him if he sensed anything unusual, but in the few weeks she had taken to learn his expressions, he was in no mood to converse particularly with her. Even though he genuinely cared for her, she knew that he still found her irritating from time to time, which was par for her existence as she remembered the silent jeering and hushed comments from her peers, fellow students, Jane and even Dr. Selvig. She glanced from face to face and suddenly got another idea. Loki had powers of the mind because he was more intelligent, and a little more sneaky, than the rest of his kind. If she had advanced abilities from this mark on her hand, then perhaps she could read a few minds as well. She carefully pulled her hand behind her and gently slipped off the silken binding, allowing her limb to hang completely supinated at her side. She drew in a deep breath as they continued along the winding path and concentrated on the beings around the both of them. To her surprise, be it the magic of the realm they were in or the magic of the elves alone, she was able to make out specific thoughts and feelings. At first it was a little frightening and overwhelming and she had to take a moment to pause and gasp, prompting a worried pause from the trickster who turned and took her shoulder firmly in one hand, looking into her eyes. She shook herself and looked back into his with a feigned smile.

"Darcy, are you alright? Do you feel faint?" he asked softly.

"_Pathetic excuse for even half an elf_," she heard one of them thinking to themselves. She looked around, trying to make out which one it was, but could barely distinguish one glare from the other. It certainly wasn't coming from Narfi; that much she was sure of. "_Fawning over a human like it was some sort of pet. Prince Django is right, better a horse to ride than a human to nurse_."

Darcy huffed a little at the comment, but turned quickly back to her lover and grasped his hand with her non-enchanted hand. He reached down and grasped it more firmly, glad to have something so frail and diverting to look after in this obvious den of hungry wolves. She nodded quickly as Narfi noticed the sudden stop and ceased talking to move toward the couple. "I'm fine, I just thought I heard something," she muttered.

"What did you hear?" he asked more anxiously.

Darcy frowned as she heard the next elf begin to chide the trickster inwardly. "_It's disgusting how the All-father has aged him. He practically looks as old as that menace, Thor. He's probably been bludgeoned into this terribly misshapen form by Mjolnir as much as his Jotun blood distorts the other side of him_," another said. This one she could tell by the slow shaking of their head. She turned and glared at him for a moment. "_Why he's even clad in Asgardian robes and armor, poor fool. He's practically one of them_."

Darcy leaned a little more towards her beloved and gripped his hand tightly as she whispered. "I know they can probably hear me, but I don't think they're interested in being friendly to us."

"They are a prudent and peculiar race, Darcy," he explained softly. While he felt terribly uneasy and knew she was right, he preferred to keep himself seeming amicable where they would no doubt expect the human with him to be as distrustful of them as they were of her.

"_How can Narfi lead this abomination further into the realm? It will be good to see Tapio deal as harshly with this bastard half-Jotun spawn of Asgard as he intends to do with those other four in the dungeon_," she heard. This prompted yet another gasp and she began to stammer nervously, trying to keep from immediately telling Loki that she suspected the prisoners the elf referred to were possibly either friends or adopted family to Loki. He narrowed his gaze at her for a beat. "_The little monster should've been smothered at birth_."

Darcy bit her lip and decided to do something efficient, but that would likely anger the trickster. Still, he needed to know what was transpiring. She carefully withdrew her good hand from his and slipped her marked hand onto his palm instead, gently sliding her skin against his as she indirectly slipped out of the silk wrapping. Loki's eyes widened and Darcy shut out his thoughts as he began to ascertain everything she had heard. She knew he would be infuriated even if he didn't show it and she preferred to not hear anything harsh from him concerning her. As curious as she was about practically everything, she was more wary of hearing his irritation towards her regardless of how temporary it might be.

Loki withdrew his hand less than a minute following and quickly bound the silk around it yet again, grasping her hand and holding to his chest reassuringly. He said nothing and turned, signaling that they needed to follow Narfi and forgo any further discussion. Eldred was likely going to be focused on the return of the Norn magic in hunting for them as well as his disturbing, life-long obsession with the rune Nauthiz. It occurred to him briefly that the prisoners might have been his four childhood friends and fellow adventurers, but he dismissed that notion. Even Fandral wasn't foolish enough to wander into Alfsheim with such poor relations between their realms. They would have plenty of time to come up with a scheme to end the old sorcerer's oppressive existence. At the moment, though, he realized that there would be the very tension he had feared in Tapio in more obscure relatives as well as the majority of these creatures, and he was in no humor to deal with any of them. He cursed inwardly and considered heading right back to Midgard and sequestering himself in Rogers' basement for a few days more. At least there he had been able to rest while Brenhin repaired himself. Brenhin, for that matter, was nowhere to be found and the mention of his name brought silence and solemnity to the crowd of elves leading them to the palace. Narfi specifically looked heartbroken at the mention of his name and asked Loki to speak to her later about the issue of the herald.

Narfi, on the other hand, seemed more comfortable in Loki's company than she seemed to be with her companions. Another female who appeared to be of similar form to Narfi (a she-elf that had been introduced as Oski and his mother's second maidservant when she had been living) stayed just as close as they walked, but remained silent and kept her gaze downward. Darcy guessed that Oski had been closer to Marya as a friend, but not nearly as comforted by the rest of the kingdom when mourning the loss of the princess. By the time the two had been escorted to the palace and had been told practically the entire recent history of Alfsheim with Besnik (the elf that Darcy recognized as being her attacker of sorts and whom Narfi had said was the right-hand servant of Prince Django, Tapio's younger and less celebrated son) adding a few times that relations with the usurping rule of Odin from Asgard had crippled their people significantly. Narfi seemed to dismiss this and the words seemed to cause Oski a great deal of pain. Loki and Darcy were shown to quarters to stay in the palace; a hollow shell of distant regret and forced anger in the form of thinly cut polished mahogany alongside the remnants of marble and slate. The walls and walkways were decorated with tattered silk and newly formed linens depicting more generalized images of Alfskind and various other magical creatures. Darcy, while still in wonderment, felt her stomach lurch at the sight of the blank walls, crumbling marble every so often, and the lack of any pictures of humans. She grasped Loki's arm tightly and this made the trickster even more uncomfortable. Darcy was in more danger than here than on Midgard, perhaps just as much as being in the same realm as Eldred. Narfi and the others left them in the quarters and the two were left alone at last.

It still hadn't fully reached the trickster's mind that he had been born here, possibly in this very room for all he knew, and it chilled even his already cooler blood to think about the hatred that had been aroused simply at his conception that now stirred again with his return. Loki sighed heavily and grasped his forehead, still wondering where Brenhin could be and loathing that he had chosen to come here. As much as he hated to admit it, he truly missed his home. Asgard would have been measures safer than here if Odin was as powerful as he had always professed to be. Even Eldred wouldn't be able to withstand Odin's might and it also boggled the trickster as to why the old sorcerer had allowed his apprentice to grow more powerful than himself. He groaned and slowly walked over to the large, ornate bed near the center of the room and sat down.

Darcy watched him for a moment, unsure of whether his anxiety was just at being in his birth realm so close to where his mother had lived at the start and close to the end of her life. She moved to the bed as well, examining his expressions as carefully as she could. She climbed onto the bed fully, scooting up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder comfortingly. He didn't stir and Darcy was sure that she could feel him stiffen with greater anxiety her touch. She frowned and considered removing the covering on her hand and taking his once more to get a small idea of what was racing through his mind. Then again, she also thought that he would be least likely to appreciate any gifts she had acquired from the orb. Instead, she decided to start a positive train of thought with conversation. "Well, aside from the underlying loathing these people have for both of us, this is kind of exciting, right? I mean, they're obviously angry and prejudiced, but you can change the way they look at things can't you? You were adopted and bridged a gap with Asgard and you can bridge that same gap with them, right?" she asked hopefully. Loki slowly looked up at her in irritation. "Besides, isn't that one of the things elves are known for?"

"You do realize that you keep making statements and then asking me to agree as if my agreement is supposed to verify it, as if I have an inner-knowledge of what you mean, don't you? It's nothing short of grating," he shot back. She folded her arms, gazing at him reproachfully. He turned away and exhaled sharply. "Forgive me, I do not wish to reflect their anger at you. I should've allowed you to stay on Midgard until Eldred was dealt with, you could've at least kept Brenhin in one place."

"You're regretting bringing me? Why? I'm trying to help! Why wouldn't you bring me?" she demanded, now clearly hurt. Her mind wandered for a moment as it was prone to do. "Hey, where is Brenhin, anyway? He's been missing since we walked into the forest?"

"He is disgraced," a new voice announced. The two turned and watched as Oski silently made her way towards them. She folded her hands and bowed her head to them solemnly. "I imagine he is wary of being seen by King Tapio again."

"Then why did he agree to come in the first place?" Loki snapped angrily. She turned and sighed.

"He followed Marya where he could; I would expect that he is doing the same for her son. After all, you hinted at being pursued," she explained.

"To what purpose are you here? Where is your king?" Loki asked, clearly hating being in this realm more with each interaction. Darcy frowned at him and looked back and forth between the two in concern and confusion. After all the complaining that the trickster had done in his journals and in his current conversations about being an outcast in Asgard and being separated from his true family because of Odin's selfishness, now he was against finding that very family and their home for him? It was par for Loki's ever-changing temper and disposition to contradict himself repeatedly, but this was on a much larger scale and spanned an even greater period of time.

Oski drew in a deep breath and lowered her head. "I heard you thinking about your master," she admitted in a hushed tone. Her eyes darted from side to side as both Loki and Darcy stared at her in shock. She had heard his thoughts? "I know that he seeks you and the power of the ancient runes combined."

"How did you hear that?" Darcy asked.

"More importantly, why are you speaking to me about this and not hurrying to tell the others to prepare in case of an attack?" Loki demanded.

"King Tapio and Prince Django are conferring with some of our kin living in the eastern woods," she said. "King Tapio is not entirely in agreement with the prince's desire to execute the prisoners from Asgard that came to our realm a few days ago. Loki turned to her with a confused look, silently questioning who they were and what the other means of dealing with them would be. Oski frowned at him and glanced anxiously at Darcy yet again. There were four, they were from Asgard, it wasn't likely to be anyone else though the trickster wondered why Thor hadn't come to retrieve them or had gone without them. Oski turned back to Loki and bowed her head. "It would be best to stay here until Narfi comes and tells you he has returned. Unless, you are anxious to see where the crystals came from."

"Crystals?" Loki asked. Oski reached a hand out toward him and slowly unfolded it, revealing a small ice blue crystal, an exact replica of the ones Drifa had used. His eyes widened. Darcy noted the intense gaze in her beloved and hurried over to him, staring at the crystal in bewilderment. She adjusted her glasses as Loki looked slowly back into Oski's eyes. Encircling her dark pupils was a ring of glistening white, a more opalescent white than the rest of her eye, and the very same colour that filled both of Drifa's. Loki grinned in sudden recognition. "You're an oracle."

"I have the gift of inner-sight, but I am no oracle," she corrected as she withdrew her hand, clasping it around the crystal once more. He continued to stare at her intently with disbelief. She glanced over at Darcy and then at the doorway before taking a step closer to the trickster and speaking very softly. "Will you follow me?"

Loki thought about this for a moment and glanced down at Darcy. They weren't really unable to trust many of the beings here despite his superior skills and intellect. His beloved was more in danger than he would be and, even if they were sentenced to death while imprisoned here in Alfsheim, more in danger than his friends. The thought of being unable to prevent their deaths did haunt him, but the origin of the crystals would allow him to see the future most clearly as well as formulate the best scheme to rid himself of Eldred once and for all before securing a throne for himself. Darcy looked back up at him and nodded, curious herself about where something like the small crystal came from, especially if it meant seeing some source of great magic. She grasped his arm and gave a slight encouraging smile. The trickster drew in a deep breath and turned back to Oski. "Yes," he said softly. "Take us to the Pool of Time."


	44. The Mists of Nifleheim

Chapter 44: The Mists of Nifleheim

On Asgard, Thor was struck with the idea of rebuilding the Bifrost himself, summoning Heimdall's chamber back to Asgard with Mjolnir and all its power. The idea had been given secretly by Drifa and had been solidified by a short conversation with Heimdall. On Midgard, Tony Stark had been reminded by Nick Fury that the team had not been called to act against Loki which meant Rogers hadn't done anything illegal, although it could have possibly been dangerous had the trickster been up to more mischief than usual. Rogers assured the rest of the team that Loki had been attacked, not by brining the attack upon himself as he had done in the last visit, and that he was genuinely attached to Darcy for the moment. On Sylvanheim, Eldred's physical form paced back and forth and realized that the only way to handle the trickster now would be to do to him what he had originally intended to do to his brother. With another part of himself elsewhere in the nine realms, he was able to explore a multiplicity of options for disciplining his apprentice and had come to a number of important conclusions. If Loki was as fond of that mortal as he had seemed, then he would do anything to ensure her safe return to him and he would certainly collapse in upon himself in many ways once she succumbed to her own mortal inevitability. On Alfsheim, the air continued to seem as electrified to both Darcy and the trickster as the rest of the realms seemed to their respective citizens. Darcy felt the mark on her hand growing warm and pulsing with energy the closer they got to the pool of time.

Darcy was experiencing an unusual clarity as well, which allowed her to go over a few things she found odd and unnerving about this whole situation. Firstly, she had read about light elves inhabiting Alfsheim in the book Selvig had shown her from the library, but in the book from Eldred's library it had stated that dark elves lived on Alfsheim until the attack from Laufey had driven them into hiding on Sylvanheim. Where were the elves that had supposedly been living on the realm with Eldred's fortress and if Tapio was a determined king who had experienced a great tragedy, why would he return so quickly to the place where the tragedy had occurred and where the Jotuns or even the Asgardians could possibly attack again? Secondly, if Marya did have a younger brother, something she vaguely remembered reading in the book from Sylvanheim although it also mentioned that he had been killed in a confrontation with the Jotuns which had initially prompted Marya to sacrifice herself, then why hadn't Tapio allowed the younger to assume the throne and protect it after having failed his people? Thirdly, if Loki wanted to rule over a realm and discover a way to destroy his master, why were they wasting time in an enchanted forest instead of gathering forces using his superior powers?

"It is not a waste of time to be here and my gifts are better suited when all other resources are fully utilized. The pools of time offer insight into the past, present, and future with varying potentialities for specific situations and their outcomes; with it I will determine how to finally rid myself of Eldred," he corrected in a harsh whisper. Darcy jumped at this and suddenly realized that he had been watching her carefully this whole time, sensing her thoughts and keeping track of her feelings. She shook herself and frowned at him. "But back to the question you raised . . ."

"About the Prince Django?" she whispered back. He nodded, glancing up at Oski who seemed more concerned about not being noticed more than listening to what the two were saying. "There was only a small mention of him, of the proper names of these families and so on except for your old family, and the book says he's supposed to be dead."

"And you believe that he gained some dark and unnatural power in being reborn?" he asked in a lower tone, clearly as irritated at the situation as he was intrigued at this revelation. She shook her head, signaling that she thought something else was happening, and bit her lip. "If all of the history you claim is true for this realm, for these people, then what do you consider is the reason for his survival?"

"I can't believe you don't know this stuff . . . it was in the library and you've had a lot more time than I have to get familiar with it," she muttered. He groaned and looked away as she continued. "I think, and this is just a wild, really crazy idea, that maybe this is another shape-shifter." He stopped instantly and whirled around to face her. She halted and looked up at him anxiously, glancing from side to side. "I mean, if you can change yourself into a bunch of other things and there are creatures older and more powerful than you, then isn't it possible that one of them is trying to take control of this world the way you should've tried to take control of earth . . . you know, from the inside?"

"How dare you! I had a perfectly sound plan of action to rule that conglomerate of chaos you call home," he chastised. Darcy raised one brow at him as if silently saying '_Really?_' before she folded her arms and turned away for a moment. "And I cannot think of any other being on this end of the countless, countless mind you, worlds that has the same gifts and knowledge that I do."

Oski turned back to them for a moment and shook her head. She didn't care about the conversation they were having, but she was terribly unnerved to see Loki return when there was still turmoil in their realm, particularly following the arrival of the other four Asgardians. Still, she said nothing and gestured toward a clearing. They were a good distance from the palace itself and remnants of a stone and glass pathway had appeared here and there as she led them. The clearing made a perfect circle; the trees surrounding it were properly thick and well-formed. Darcy realized that if magic were to be used then perhaps the trees might actually form some sort of wall to keep out unwanted visitors when using the pool's magic. A radius of solid stone covered almost entirely in velvet green moss started a few feet away from the edges of the trees themselves and ended at the core of the clearing, the pool itself. The depth was difficult to determine from any distance, but it appeared to be a solid, glass blue surface and not water at all from where they stood. Darcy watched the surface carefully and in amazement as they approached. It didn't move at all. Were the crystals actual shards of a solidified pool or was this water the single most unmoving source of fluid in existence?

"Most likely the later, even our realms adhere to certain laws of science. Laws your kind might not be familiar with given your limitations, but law never the less," he replied as they approached the glimmering, sapphire circle. Darcy glanced at him in continued astonishment. She wondered if she would ever get used to the trickster hearing much of her thoughts in these situations. Oski waited near the edge of the clearing, anxiously grasping her hands in front of her. Loki turned back to face her. "Is this place sacred or forbidden?" he asked, confused as to why a being with the gift of any kind of vision would feel uneasy around such a natural source of their talent. She shook her head and looked around them as if worried that someone might have followed. He sighed and continued forward until reaching the water's edge and kneeling slowly. Darcy did the same.

"You know, I can think of at least one person who has the same gifts and knowledge that you do; well, most of what you have anyway," she offered. Loki tried to ignore this and lowered one hand toward the surface of the water. He was a mere few seconds away from discovering the fool-proof method of disposing of Eldred and accomplishing the single most important feat he had devised, securing a throne. Darcy realized that he wasn't acknowledging her words and huffed indignantly. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Instead of taking up precious time attempting to banter back and forth, why don't you tell me what you want to hear or at least what you think you have to reveal?" he remarked.

Darcy frowned and knelt slowly beside him. He continued to reach one hand slowly down to the calm, smooth surface. It radiated a sense of cold and heat all at once, but little else. His fingers grazed the stillness in the peripheral liquid. To his surprise, there was nothing else to be felt or to take in. It simply felt like water charged with some strange spell to alter its temperature. After several seconds of waiting for some kind of divine spark to suddenly appear from it, he withdrew his hand and sighed heavily. She looked at him with a measure of concern and pulled a lock of hair away from her face, twirling it mindlessly for a few seconds. "The only other person I can think of that has the same powers, the same knowledge and probably the same goals, is your master," she replied. His eyes widened and then narrowed at her. That was quite a clever realization and with such astute memories of her readings in the library. Truly he had taken a gem from Midgard, the one human capable of putting information this complex together and forming sound theories. Clearly his brother would have been unable to keep this girl's attention for long, not with her supra-average intellect and reasoning. After all, she had managed to deceive him for weeks and gain his affection in the process. He smirked at this notion, still gazing at her, a little unaware that she was suggesting that not only was Django either a facsimile of Eldred or a servant in some form, but that he was close by and still hunting them. She looked past him at Oski briefly and then back into his eyes. "I don't think you're going to find much from this . . . this . . ." she said, turning and gesturing towards the surface of the water. "Whatever this is . . . it doesn't seem like it's anything special. It kind of reminds me of this rain garden my aunt used to have except hers had a couple of Koi fish and . . ."

Before Darcy could finish, the surface suddenly began to churn violently. Loki watched in astonishment as the water, formed into an extremity of sorts, instantly rose over them. It came down over Darcy with a loud crash. She screamed as the waters receded, taking her into the pool with it. "Nooooooo!" Loki shouted in terror, reaching out for her as she disappeared. "Darcy?" He quickly reached both arms into the water, feeling for her and desperately trying to summon her energy towards him. He could feel nothing at the moment. He then noticed Oski still standing at the edge of the clearing looking all the more anxious. "Do something! Help me!" he cried. "Darcy? Darcy!" Oski frowned as he continued to frantically sift through the liquid, finding nothing as panic began to fill him. He panted heavily and looked back at the she-elf yet again. "_**Where is she**_?" Oski opened her mouth to speak, but Loki heard nothing except the sound of water suddenly crashing to the ground this time around him. It enveloped him in a flash, plunging him down into the waters just as it had done to Darcy. He screamed for a few moments and then quickly centered, deciding to try and locate his beloved and then hurry back to the water's edge.

"Loki?" Darcy shouted from somewhere in the distance. The trickster froze. He suddenly realized that his feet were touching solid ground and that what he initially thought was the ephemeral liquid surrounding him, was instead a strange and familiar mist. He shuddered a little and waited for Darcy to call to him once more. He knew enough of her to wait, her insistent nature would keep her calling to him until he answered or she found a way back. He closed his eyes and listened carefully, willing the rest of his senses to go silent for the moment. Darcy had been in shock upon arriving in the mist, so shocked that she had drawn in a deep breath. At first she was sure she had drowned instantly, but the fact that she had been able to open her eyes, been able to hear strange noises around her, and that drowning was scientifically a much longer and terrifying experience than this according to her studies, told her that she had been transported somewhere else instead. Was this a prison for the realm? Is this where the others were being kept as well? She groaned and cupped her hands around her mouth as she shouted once more. "Loki? Loki, where are you?" A hand landed solidly on her shoulder. She jumped and reached up, clamping her own hand over it. She relaxed as she recognized the smooth outline of the trickster's long fingers. She gripped them tightly as she turned around to face him and, gauging as best she could as to where the rest of him was, threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly with a few sobs of relief.

"Darcy," he sighed, pulling her tightly to him as well. The sudden parting was more terrifying than the notion of any harm coming to him. After a few moments of liberated silence passed between the two the air began to fill with other noises, strange hisses, crackling, and faint traces of what Darcy thought were voices singing. Loki tried to see more clearly through the mist. He knew where they were, but he had never seen the mists here so thick before. "This is a dangerous place. I've only been here once, and that was with Thor. We should find our way to a clearer space before something senses we are here."

"Where exactly is here?" Darcy asked nervously, still clinging to him.

Loki grinned a little at realizing he was the superior being for now, his strength comforted and exceeded her. This was not something he was used to and certainly not something he could enjoy with his brother or with Lady Sif. He gently pulled away, keeping her close to his side and grasping her arm in both his hands. "This is Nifleheim . . . the realm of mists and water. There is little else that can compare to the life magic in its condensation or in any of the forms water takes in this realm," he replied and began to lead them forward cautiously. "This is soft water and soft water only, even the ice and snow here is much kinder than Jotunheim's."

"What kind of things would sense that we're here?" she asked anxiously. While she was afraid of the answer, she couldn't put aside her natural curiosity. She moved timidly beside him, unable to see much of anything around her. "Are there monsters or something?"

"In a manner," he replied in a soft tone. "This realm is full of wandering spirits."

"Wandering spirits?" Darcy asked, a renewed twinge of fear making its way through her. She began to shudder once more as the realization of what he had truly meant sank in. "Spirits as in . . . ghosts?"

(*)

"How is this going to work? Didn't that observatory or whatever you call it, fall of the edge of your planet?" Jane asked as she followed Thor out through the city gates and down what was left of the bridge. She moved to stand beside the stalwart warrior, taking his enormous forearm in both her hands as she tried to look into his eyes. Thor was clearly growing increasingly wearied of trying to retrieve his brother and now trying to retrieve his friends. She had also noted that he seemed somehow saddened in front of his father as well and that it was painfully obvious that Odin did not approve of her presence in the least. She leaned her forehead against his arm and sighed. "This isn't going to work, is it, me being here?"

"What could possibly make you think that?" Thor replied in sudden shock. He turned and grasped Jane's arms tightly. "Is something wrong? Did I say something to upset you?"

"No, no, no, it's not that, it's all of this," she replied gesturing to the edge of the realm. "You have so much to worry about and I just don't think I'm helping."

He laughed and pulled her closer to him. "Not helping? I'd be a mess without you, entirely. I would've died arriving on Midgard, I never would've been able to return to save the realm and my parents, and even now I cannot fathom how awful each day would be without your presence," he said with a kind smile. She sighed and looked down for a beat, contemplating whether or not she should mention that she herself was having second thoughts about living so far away from her home world. He gently placed a hand under her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Do you wish to return?"

"Not without you," she said, avoiding the fuller version of the truth in the name of keeping herself close to the only thing that still made sense in her life. Thor was the only creature she had ever seemed inferior to in all of her years of study and it made her feel oddly complete. Thor smiled and turned back to the edge of the broken Bifrost. His father doubted this would work and had, without precise words, practically forbidden the prince to try and reconstruct any part of the bridge. He breathed deeply and carefully took a step forward, pulling away from Jane. He held out Mjolnir and concentrated all of his available energy and senses to where he had seen the chamber disappear. It was not long after that Loki had disappeared into time and space. He closed his eyes, trying not to think about the incident itself and instead focusing on the memory of the golden dome. He suddenly felt a tug at the end of one thread of his consciousness. A grin moved across his lips as he slowly began to lift Mjolnir higher and drawing the dome and the remnants of the bridge closer than ever. Odin had told him that the hammer had no equal as a tool to build; hopefully he was entirely right about this and not about the impossibility of rebuilding the Bifrost.

(*)

"I don't get it; how could a pool that gives visions be a portal at the same time? And why in the world would it lead to a Norse Hades?" Darcy asked, finding it increasingly difficult to walk effectively while holding onto the trickster. She didn't dare move without him, still at a disadvantage in the midst of the moisture, but it felt like it had taken them hours to move what must have been a few feet. She began to breathe a little more rapidly as her heart sped up fretfully. The path had been smooth and relatively even, but Darcy didn't want to find the one small rock and trip, breaking her glasses and every bone in the front of her skull right in front of the most attractive creature in apparently multiple worlds. Loki could feel that she was entirely unsure of her steps and it delighted him, practically to the point of laughter. She was an independent and reasonably strong young woman, but her limits were charmingly hopeless. He had managed to get a good sense of their surroundings and, with instinct matching his powerful magic and pervasive spirit, he had a general topography of the realm despite the mists.

Darcy, however, felt positively blind. As they continued forward her shoe caught on the edge of the very rock she had feared encountering, the one flaw in the texture of this otherwise baby-smooth world. She gasped as she lurched forward. Loki quickly released her arm and then slipped under her, catching her entire body in both arms and lifting her in front of him. She panted heavily and closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He smiled and waited for her to compose herself, situating one of his arms under her knees and keeping the other at her shoulders, bracing her as if carrying her across the threshold. She finally pulled a lock of hair away from her face, steadying her breathing, and turned to look at him directly. "Whoa," she breathed. "Nice reflexes."

"As always," he replied with a grin. He moved forward a few paces, still keeping her safely in his arms. Suddenly, a rush of unexpected wind moved past them, a breeze with more strength than any he had ever known on Nifleheim before. The mists around them cleared, revealing that the entire terrain was made up of enormous crystalline pillars. The two both stared in amazement at the various shapes and sizes of the crystal structures, all of them looking as though they were made of frosted glass. A few shards from the aged and weathered formations lay at the base of a few, leading both to the same conclusion. Drifa and Oski had both been to this realm, essentially the underworld, to retrieve such powerful items. Loki carefully set Darcy down and raced forward to a small pile of shards. He reached a hand into them and withdrew one, admiring the shape and texture. As he tried to concentrate on defeating Eldred and finding Brenhin, he realized that the crystal was not at all enhancing anything in his mind. He frowned; these had power, but it could only be manipulated by an oracle or a seer. There would be no discovering what he desired without Oski or Drifa's help and while he was willing to ask the one, he feared interference from the other. The crystal instantly shifted and he suddenly heard a loud, booming voice in his head; his father's voice shouted the decree that he should not return under pain of torture and death once more. As the phrase repeated itself, Loki felt the crystal growing cold and its edges receding. He suddenly felt a sharp stab in his palm and cried out, dropping the crystal which now had a small blood stain with it. He groaned and clutched the hand into a fist as Darcy moved to his side.

"Are you alright?" she asked. She glanced down at the crystal and gasped. "Oh my goodness, you're bleeding! What happened?"

"Not important," he replied quickly. He slowly opened his palm and watched the wound seal itself before swiping the remnants of the blood away. He looked around and noted that the mist had stopped moving towards them. It was odd and unnerving. While he hadn't been to Nifleheim extensively, it was one of the most talked about realms among the sorcerers and scholars in Asgard. He reached down and firmly took Darcy's hand, trying to think of the best way out of the realm. He knew from experience that his magic alone was not enough to propel them from this place. "If only I knew whether or not Freyja was sleeping. She knows me, knows my family, and I am certain she would help us escape."

"Escape?" Darcy said with a laugh. "You make it sound like we're in trouble or something."

"You miserable, lying, little thief!" a loud, gruff voice shouted from a short distance away. Darcy felt Loki's skin grow cold, not like his birth form, but very much like a person who had just been faced with their own demise. She turned and looked up at him. Every part of him, even the whites of his verdant eyes, trembled at the voice. He began to breathe sharply and look around in fear. "I have a debt to settle with you."

"Another demon?" Darcy asked. Loki said nothing, trembling all the more and looking around desperately for a place to hide. Darcy knew that there were plenty of pillars and so on to duck behind in an emergency, but it seemed like Loki was petrified, absolutely frozen in terror. She heard slow, heavy footsteps approaching them and the trickster felt his body shift and buckle beneath him. He sank to his knees and then to all fours, breathing heavily and trying to quell the dread that had overwhelmed him. Darcy watched as the crystal structures around them began to quake almost as violently as her beloved. She knelt beside him, putting her arms around his shoulders and trying to lift him. "Come on! We can hide behind one of these and figure something out!" she urged. He remained unmoving save for the fright tremors moving through him. She groaned. "You have to get up, come on!" Before either could move another fraction of a step, the creature that had ignited such alarm in Loki made itself visible. Darcy stared up at it in horror. She tried for a moment to convince herself that if Loki was right, then this was just an apparition, just a spook so to speak. He growled, mist forming around his features, his blue features. Whatever this was, it towered over both of them. Darcy suddenly realized that this must have been the spirit of a member of the less pleasant side of Loki's bloodline . . . a Jotun. "Uh oh."

The towering, cerulean creature grinned evilly at the two. He glared down at Loki with brilliant red eyes. "Hello, Son of Odin," he hissed with a false welcome gleam in his visage. "I've been waiting for you."

Loki managed to find enough breath and strength of voice to speak a name that made Darcy start to panic as well. "Laufey," he whispered hoarsely.


	45. Selfish, Flawed, and Determined

_(((Sorry about the wait between chapters. We're coming up on the end of the story in the next three installments and it's just getting a tad difficult to continue writing this version of Loki while seeing the clips from the upcoming 'Avengers'. Not going to say who, but he kills someone very important in their story in a very cowardly and cruel way, not in my version, and it's just not the Loki I had pictured. Thank goodness for this and the other incredible fics I have at my disposal here! Long live only slightly evil Loki, not the heartless worm Hollywood wants him to be!)))_

Chapter 45: Selflish, Flawed, and Determined

Thor shouted triumphantly, holding Mjolnir aloft and catching a large stream of lighting as the chamber and the shattered fragments of the Bifrost came hurtling back up from the edge of the immortal universe. The fragments slowly moved toward him and, as she stood a few inches behind him gasping in shock, Jane as well. They hovered in front of the two momentarily and Thor drew in another deep breath for strength. He roared as he slammed Mjolnir into the sea of fragments, a loud cracking sound filling the atmosphere. Jane was sure, though, that the cracking was actually backwards, that it sounded as if something had been horribly broken and the sound accompanying the event was being played in reverse. Thor continued to slam Mjolnir into the fragments as they solidified beneath each blow, forming the bridge once again. He laughed and took several large strides forward so that there would be new fragments to rebuild. Jane trembled and followed in kind though more cautiously. Within three minutes, Thor had made his way to the edge of a newly formed bridge and was ready to hammer the golden chamber back into place. He hadn't counted on ice still being thick within its walls and, with a particularly loud crash and resonating clangs, a stream of ice shards flew past the warrior landing in the sea with the sound of thousands of tiny bells. Jane glanced down at the ocean beneath them and groaned. She instinctively grasped Thor's sleeve and pulled herself close to him. With a final sweep of the mighty hammer, the Bifrost settled back into its original shape and size. He grinned brightly and then pulled Jane into his arms, staring out at the victory he had enjoyed over the torn portal. He clutched Jane tightly and began to walk back towards Asgard proper.

"Now to find my friends, release Darcy, and reclaim my brother," he said proudly.

(*)

Darcy watched in horror as Laufey stood over them, or rather what had once been Laufey. If this was the equivalent of a Hadean world to his kind, then this was some sort of ghost. She knelt beside Loki and grabbed his shoulders, turning him to face her. He seemed completely stunned, frozen in fear for reasons she couldn't understand. He had killed this being, his biological father, without a second thought and all in the name of impressing his adoptive family. Why would he be terrified of him now? She couldn't get him to look into her eyes and the rest of him barely responded to her grasp. She frowned and undid the silk at her hand, tossing it aside, and then grasped his palm. In the torrent of thoughts that had flooded his consciousness with fear was a memory. As the trickster stood holding a small handful of gems, only three or so, and looking terribly disheveled, another being sat before him. They appeared to have been in a small, but important room where the being sat on what could have been a throne. He had dark skin and nearly colourless eyes; even in this memory Darcy herself could feel evil pulsating from the breath of this creature as he leaned forward and spoke with her beloved.

"I warn you, son of Odin, that should you betray me the way you betrayed your own father I will set every power in the universe against you; the army, the serpent, even your own brother," the man warned in a gravelly tone. Darcy felt her heart sink and flutter at these words. He leaned a little closer to Loki who appeared to be too consumed with the glee of concocting such a clever scheme to seize control of Midgard and having such power in his hands. "And should you fail, I will send whatever means I can to hunt you down and destroy you, utterly destroy you. There will be no realm that will be home to you and all that you have done will creep slowly back upon you until you are consumed by your own misdeeds. Am I clear?"

"Thanos, there are some things that not worth mentioning in negotiations," Loki replied calmly, tossing the gems into the air and then catching them with a broad, wicked grin. "Failure just happens to be one of them."

"You failed on Asgard," the man, Thanos, shot back which prompted a glare from the trickster. Thanos smiled and chuckled softly. "But you are too full of pride to consider any other eventuality. Go, then, and be quick about it."

Loki smirked and turned to leave. Darcy tried to pull her hand free, to escape the memory now that she knew why he was terrified. This Thanos had made it clear that whatever evil Loki had done, it would find him out. What more frightening a place could there be for a person hunted by their own past than a world literally teeming with ghosts? She grunted and tried to pull free again. She felt a chill as the figure of Loki moved past her, muttering under his breath. "You'll have yours soon enough, old fool," he whispered. "And then I will have a throne, at last I will have what I am owed and I will have all that Thor desires . . . Midgard, the respect of worlds beyond, and his precious woman."

She cried out and yanked her hand free of his. Shaking her head, she regained proper sight of the present. Loki was still frozen in fear and Laufey was reaching down for them. While it had felt like several minutes, barely a few seconds had passed on the planet. Darcy cried out and took a firm hold on the trickster, rolling both of them to the side and barely missing Laufey's grasp. His enormous blue fingers brushed the misty ground still covered every now and again with crystals. He roared in frustration and formed an icy club around his other hand, raising it and aiming for the two. Darcy shrieked and suddenly noticed that a tear had fallen down her lover's cheek.

Inwardly he had tried to force his physical strength to move past his fear. It was useless in the end and his overwhelming fear of Thanos' warning kept a firm grip on the present. Thanos had said that all of his deeds would find him out and he had the power to make it so. There was not a realm in existence that Loki hadn't caused some sort of mischief except perhaps Alfsheim for the moment. Even if he managed to get away from Laufey's form, which wasn't likely, he would still be at the mercy of whatever else he had done. The spirits that wandered Nifleheim weren't apparitions like the ghosts Darcy had seen in films and read about in books; these spirits had physical powers not unlike what they had in life, it added to the power and mystery of the realm and balanced out the losses of power from the other realms. Laufey roared, causing the young sorcerer to tremble all the more. It occurred to him that not only was he going to die, but Darcy would die as well. He could feasibly return to another body, live out his life in another form with all of his powers, but a mortal could not; once her life had been separated from her body she would be parted from him, travel to the realm mortal souls were destined to join, and he would never see her again.

If only he had thought more carefully, asked more questions, formulated a real plan before arriving on Alfsheim, clearly peopled by a faded race of selfish anti-sorcerers. Another tear rolled down his cheek. What had he done to deserve this end? He hadn't really wanted to kill his brother or the warriors with the Destroyer . . . he hadn't murdered on earth even going so far as to leave a healing stone alongside the wounded agent he had escaped past which had been the only thing that had ensured Coulson's survival in the end, and this past time he had actually spared the lives of several mortals including children. . . and he had never disobeyed his mother, not even once. True he had created the stir that had exiled Thor, although that had turned out for the best in the end. Yes, he had made a false promise to Laufey and then slain him mercilessly, but that had spared the kingdom more fully than even Odin had done and the destruction of Jotunheim hadn't met fruition. True he had stolen his father's tesseract and subjugated several mortals in his service, but he hadn't harmed them, not really. And yes, he had lied to Thor, lied to Thanos, and lied to Schmidt, but they weren't terrible lies . . . except perhaps the lie that Odin was dead, but that was nothing in comparison to the lies he had been fed since birth. He had done absolutely nothing truly evil and yet he found himself about to be executed by a creature that had meant to do him harm all of his life and he deserved none of it. For that matter, what had Darcy done to deserve this? Surely an innocent mortal female could not have done anything nearly as sordid as he had and he wasn't entirely evil, not really. This was just . . . unfair.

"Unfair?" a familiar female voice exclaimed in disgust. This caught the attention of everyone including Laufey who halted, hovering the ice bludgeon several feet above the two. "Unfair, you think your fate is unfair?" Loki felt energy and life returning to his limbs and he found the presence to turn and face the interloper. On a ledge, several feet away, stood Drifa glaring angrily at the trickster. "I've tried over and over again to show you something, quite possibly the most important lesson you'll ever learn, and all you can do is complain, cower, and create havoc! My precious magic, wasted repeatedly! The girl's fate is unfair and undeserved and will be so as long as she remains with you by choice or otherwise. But you, you deserve this and so much more for your selfishness!"

"You're not helping anything!" Darcy shouted toward the strange little girl calling to them. She continued to pry at her beloved's shoulders, grunting and pleading in frustration. Judging by the girl's eyes, her voice, and her vocabulary then not only was she from the same realm as Thor and Loki, but she was also some sort of creature superior to the two of them. Drifa snorted indignantly at this and raised a hand quickly. Darcy furrowed her brow and then turned back to the form of Laufey in time to see his clubbed arm quickly cut upward, bashing him fully in the face. He grunted and stumbled back a few paces, blood beginning to trickle from his nose after the self-inflicted attack."Whoa!"

"Is that _helpful_ enough for you?" Drifa asked sarcastically. She knelt, drawing in strength and magic, then leapt high into the air, aiming for the two. She landed in front of them and thrust both of her hands to the side and heaved them to the other side, growling in the process. Laufey frowned, realizing that he was done for with Drifa present. Darcy and Loki both heard a loud rumbling and saw a look of dread cross the Jotun King's features. His expression dropped as a mound of crystals suddenly hurtled towards them like a tsunami. It rolled, groaning and churning as it moved, until it landed on top of the towering Jotun and covered him fully. After a few moments of strained silence and a renewed mist forming over the mound covering the Jotun, Drifa turned back to the other two. "Prideful pinhead." Drifa turned and glared angrily at the couple still kneeling. Darcy made it to her feet and stood in front of Loki defensively. Drifa snorted irritated by this display, something he truly didn't deserve.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Darcy said firmly.

"And here you are still believing that mortals are useless, weak, and brutish creatures," Drifa said with a sad shake of her head. She reached into her robes and withdrew the last crystal, frowning at the trickster. "I do believe she has more courage than you or your brother and twice the sensibility." She hurled it at him but it was Darcy that caught it. Loki finally found the strength and clarity to breathe normally and stop shaking. He placed both palms on the ground and stood slowly. Darcy looked down at the crystal in her hand with confusion. "There, take it and take as many of these as you want, they'll have similar power though without my guidance. Not that my guidance has done you any good. Your skull is very nearly as thick as your father's and that, sir, is an accomplishment not even the serpents surrounding Midgard can boast!"

"Hey! That's uncalled for and it's not true!" Darcy shot back. Loki carefully placed a hand on her shoulder, but she didn't turn to face him. Drifa shook her head, watching the two with saddened resolve. "And I'm pretty sure the . . . the . . . Oh man, what have you guys been calling him? The All-Father, that's it! I'm pretty sure the All-Father wouldn't appreciate you saying that about him, either!"

"I was not referring to Odin, Darcy Lewis," Drifa corrected. Slowly, Loki placed his other hand on her other shoulder, gripping both of them gently. "I suggest you find the nearest pool that matches the one on Alfsheim and find your way back. In the meantime I must speak with Oski about when it is appropriate to open portals and when it is best to leave well enough alone."

"Then you were back there when we were? Do you know what's going on with everyone, why they're acting so strange? At least I think they are, I mean, I've never been there before and I know Loki isn't close to his family there, but they're kind of acting like both of us were criminal or evil or something. Yeah I know he's done some pretty intense stuff and I'm a human which isn't something they really like, or that any elves really like for that matter; but shouldn't they be . . ." Darcy began.

"If you're done prattling on like an excited gibbon, then I'll tell you what is happening on Alfsheim before I leave. I should've let him get one good hit in, that would've humbled both of you nicely," Drifa interrupted. Loki felt Darcy's muscles and sinews tense at the oracle's words. He himself had never seen her this incensed before or this somber, either. It was as if he had neglected to perform some important task for her as her apprentice which, while she had stated emphatically that she had desired it from him, now seemed like it was just as irritating as Darcy's stammering. What had he done to upset her so greatly when he hadn't even been in her presence? Then again it could've been something he didn't do and this was likely the case as it was for many of the people he knew and loved.

"Now, before Marya had reached young adulthood her mother had died and Tapio, according to the laws of Alfsheim, needed to remarry at least long enough to sire an heir. He courted and married a young she-elf and Django was born. Shortly thereafter Besnik was born which killed the new queen in childbirth. Marya was practically expected to raise both her half-brothers and until they left to train with the noble huntsmen of the western forests, the marshal forces that keep law and peace on Alfsheim. Laufey's attacks against the outer edges of the forest were met with magic defenses which slowed him more than any protection Odin offered on Midgard, but did not defend them enough. Marya offered herself, conceived you, and when it was discovered by Tapio, he reasoned that Laufey would finally depart from their borders and told his daughter that she would have to give you to your father."

Darcy's expression fell and her jaw practically dropped. Loki gripped her shoulders more tightly, mindlessly allowing a surge of anger to voice itself in his grip. This was information that should have been shared long ago, before they had set off for Midgard, before he had learned about his mother's fate, before anything else. How dare she keep something so significant a secret on top of the numerous and less significant secrets! The more he came to know of the beings from Asgard, the more convinced he was that his deceit and trickery were nothing by comparison to the unending farce they wove from the time they could speak. Drifa sensed his thoughts and huffed. "Brenhin begged Marya to follow him to Asgard or Midgard with you in tow, but Marya was too frightened at the prospect of leaving her throne and her people vulnerable to Laufey and she thought that she might be able to sway him with her words. Tapio was never a creature of war, after all. She crept away from the herald's side late one night and made her way to the edge of the woods, to the circle of protection still guarding the realm from the Jotuns, and she demanded to speak with their king. Instead, she was taken by force to Jotunheim to give you to Laufey. When Tapio discovered what had befallen her, he banished Brenhin for failing to protect Marya and mourned having ordered her to face the Jotun King yet again, the very act that cost her life and yours, or so he thought. He flew into a fit of rage, tearing his own palace apart. When the dust and debris finally settled, he fell into self-pity and loathing, leaving the burdens of kingship to Django, though without the title. Since that day, Django has kept up as much protocol as can be had in a crumbling kingdom, Tapio wanders here and there still pining for his daughter, and the palace remains in ruins while the elves retreat ever further into the forests. They're beginning to separate, you know, to live in single units and not as a kingdom as I'm sure you've already noticed."

"That's why everything looks so rotten, they're all still in mourning?" Darcy asked in confusion. Drifa nodded. "Why doesn't the king just renounce the throne and leave it to his other grandson if he's so depressed?"

"Because Tapio, like all elves who have suffered a broken heart, craves blood and will not relinquish the crown and the sword that accompanies it until he has spilled Asgardian blood where his own family was torn asunder. It's childish and pointless, but vengeance runs deep in the blood of a forest creature scorned," Drifa explained. Loki frowned at this all the more. The prisoners . . . they were going to be killed and that would be the release Tapio desired. Drifa sighed heavily and turned to walk away. "Do you think Sif will change her mind about you when her head is cut clean away from her neck and severed from her heart? Perhaps you might finally ask her what weighs on your heart when she is here . . . in Nifleheim. She'll hardly be at rest in Valhalla, wouldn't you agree?" Drifa asked casually over her shoulder. Loki felt a wave of nausea hit him. In just a few more dark words Drifa had confirmed that the prisoners Oski had mentioned were his brother's, and to a lesser extent his, friends. She began to fade into the distance. "I'll hold Volstagg's blood against you, Loki. I cannot interfere with this, but I will repay it."

The trickster felt his blood return to its proper warmth and he drew in a deep breath, still clutching Darcy by the shoulders. She turned and looked up at him in concern. "What's with you? Why did you freak out like that?" she asked anxiously.

"I was facing the creature that killed my mother, that tried to kill me," he explained slowly. Darcy stared at him intently, urging him to explain further. "I've already killed him once, I doubt I'll be able to do it a second time."

"You can't kill a ghost, er, spirit," she corrected, flustered by the unsettling events of the evening. "Can you?"

He said nothing and moved past her, trying to spread out his own power over the vast landscape surrounding them to locate the mirrored pool that would take them back to Alfsheim. It was a strange way of transporting from one realm to another, not unlike the knucker holes on Midgard, but it was infuriating to not have full use of his faculties here. He groaned and felt Darcy's hand close around his own. He gripped it tightly and suddenly felt a faint pull in one direction. He concentrated on it, closing his eyes and sending his mind and spirit further into the mists. As his metaphysical form moved straight toward the pull, he began to feel the presence of water. "There," he suddenly said and began hurrying in the same direction. Darcy followed, watching him as cautiously as she could. "And to answer your question since these beings, these wandering spirits are also manifestations of this realm's magic, then they can be undone or stopped as you've already seen. In a sense, they can be killed as well."

"Yeah, but it's not really killing them. That's like getting rid of a traditional vampire or something; you have to heal them or turn them or whatever because they're already dead, they're just not obeying the dead rules," she replied. Loki couldn't help but smile at her innocent and clever wording. If nothing else, she was a worthy companion for finding something amusing, something pleasant to say. Thor had clearly chosen the wrong female and he would be eternally grateful of that. Darcy took in as much of the sight of the mists and crystals as she could before they reached the edge of a much larger and less beautiful pool. In fact, this just looked like a large, festering puddle. The surface wasn't silvery and regal, it was clouded and almost oily. She wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of a few bubbles bursting at the surface with a sickening 'plurp' and the odor of very old rain water combined with the faint aroma of molded cloth and diseased flesh wafted from the surface. "Urgh! That's disgusting, this can't be the way back!"

"It's a ruse, a disguise for the unfortunate creatures trapped here," Loki added, taking another step towards the fluid's edge. "It is meant to look like decay, but it is nothing more foul than what we first encountered."

"Wait a minute, it's meant to fool ghosts, or spirits, or whatever? Aren't they smarter than that? Shouldn't they be like pure magic?" she asked confusedly.

"If only," Loki remarked and knelt at the rim. "Things here are not nearly what they are in your realm and what they aren't in this world they would be fully in your own. Nothing is as you know, but everything is what you don't understand," he explained. Darcy shook her head, sure that for a moment he had slipped into a quote from Lewis Carroll somewhere. She watched him reach his hand toward the surface of the waters. "First things first upon returning," he muttered. The surface began to churn and hiss just as it had before transporting them here. "We must see to my brother's friends before they die."

"Before they die?" Darcy asked, anxiety rising within her all the more. "That place just keeps getting less and less appealing. I'm not sure you should try and stay there even with your grandfather being the king."

"I have no intention of remaining in that fetid mess of a kingdom, or what's left of it," he retorted. "Once we find Brenhin we will depart and address the issue of residence afterward," he continued, eyes glistening with a new scheme as the water's surface began to rise. "When we return to Sylvanheim and deal properly with my master."


	46. Endearing Cowardice & Eldred's Disguise

_(((Longest chapter I've ever written. All this action came flying at me at once and now I'm exhausted. Ready for the mind grenade, boys and girls?)))_

Chapter 46: Endearing Cowardice and Eldred's Disguise

From the fortress on Sylvanheim, Eldred made his way into the atrium and summoned a wave of fire to destroy the remnants of Loki's final act of defiance. He frowned as the wave receded with a torrent of water rushing past him. There were still sheets of thick ice and small, crystalline stalagmites rising from the floor every here and there. He roared furiously, raising both arms and creating an inferno around him to destroy the last of it. Another stream of water moved past him and out of the door, trickling hurriedly as if trying to escape the sorcerer's wrath. He glanced carefully around the room as he drew in sharp, aggravated breaths. His nostrils flared and his eyes burned a deeper brown as he noticed one final ice crystal standing proudly and defiantly in a corner. He stormed over to it and slammed his fist into its frozen surface, shattering the ice, but not able to destroy it entirely.

"Insolent, ungrateful brat," he snarled. "I should've given him more to prove, Thanos should've finished him off by now. Someone should've killed the little whelp." He paced back and forth, stumped as to how he was going to go about reclaiming the Norn magic from the mortal and taking Loki's innate power from him. The trite and traditional way was to eat the heart or brain, drink the blood or breath, or even capture the soul in a medallion. None of those would work on the trickster, his will was too strong and Eldred blamed himself entirely for that. He could've broken the boy's spirit long ago in a more permanent and oppressive manner, but he had decided against it in the name of allowing his powers to ripen most efficaciously so that when the sorcerer harvested what remained of him, it would be a greater presence than the All-Father's. Now he couldn't even see where his putrid servant had wandered off to. This was most irritating.

He paced anxiously around the atrium, hurling a bolt of energy every so often to release his frustrations. As he continued to walk mindlessly, he suddenly noticed something in the corner behind the ice and a broad grin made its way over his lips replacing the furious scowl. He knelt and picked up a rubbery bracelet; its flat, lavender surface bore the indentations of specific words: Learn about preventing violence at 3 He laughed and turned the bracelet over in his fingers. Loki might be able to hide himself, but the mortal not only bore the mark of Norn magic, she also still had traces of Loki's failed attempt to practice as well. Even healed there would be enough of the wound left for him to find with powerful sorcery. He quickly headed back down to his chambers where the cauldron he used to watch the worlds sat bubbling and seething, mirroring its master's humor. He carried the bracelet with him and felt a small measure of relief move through his tired limbs. Darcy hadn't noticed the bracelet missing because, as most humans from her generation were wont to do, she hardly recognized when something was truly lost while in pursuit of something better. From the time he had taken her Darcy had been more than curious about the trickster, she had been infatuated with him despite the cruelty and captivity. This flimsy purple band was exactly what he needed and soon he would have the hand it belonged to within his grasp once more.

(*)

A large, black raven hopped around the edge of the pool's surface on Alfsheim. It cawed and snorted fretfully at the peaceful liquid. It had remained undisturbed since Loki and Darcy had been pulled in and lost to the mists of Nifleheim. Oski watched the pool as well, ignoring the bird as she had done since its arrival. She had hoped that in journeying to the realm of wandering spirits that Loki might have been convinced by the memory of Marya to leave Alfsheim and abandon any aspirations for living among their kind. Narfi and a few of the other servants had adored him as an infant, but times had changed the rest of the realm and it wasn't likely that the sulking bear king would have anything to do with his grandson while a frustrated prince had primary rule. Django resented anything and everything that had to do with Jotunheim and Asgard after costing him his sister. The idea of Loki's survival would've infuriated him beyond all reckoning and Oski had enough courage and compassion left in her weakened mind to prod both Darcy and Loki toward the safety of escape. The raven finally halted and stared down at the water's edge sadly.

Oski breathed a sigh of relief after several moments more. It had been well over an hour; surely the two weren't coming back. She took one hand and reached out for the surface of the water, ready to bid it to close for now. She had decided that she wouldn't close it until she was sure that the two weren't going to return, that much of her remained sentient. The pool was too dangerous for the last of the mages and sorcerers in their realm to leave open at all times and they had learned centuries ago how to summon a natural iris to cover it completely, blocking its presence from unwanted eyes. As she closed her eyes and began to hum softly, gathering the natural forces of the woods around her, she suddenly felt a disturbance beneath her fingertips. She withdrew her hand and opened her eyes just as quickly. The small disturbance gave way to angry churning and warping, the water's edge surging inward and then outward as if gasping for breath. She stood and backed away from the rim; frowning and watching the fluid thrash in upon itself. The raven cawed happily and flitted up to a nearby branch. Oski felt her heart sink as she saw the pale hand of the trickster reach up through the water's surface and grasp onto the shore. It extended into his wrist, then his arm, and as soon as the other hand had appeared and done the same, he dragged himself upward and pulled his body onto the shore, turning and calling over his shoulder.

"When someone tells you to keep moving you don't stand there like a fawn at the business end of an arrow, you move," he shouted crossly. Oski lifted one brow in confusion and then watched as the two small hands of the mortal appeared, grasping for the shore. Loki groaned and took hold of both her hands, guiding her onto the shore beside him as best he could while helping to pull her through.

"Well sorry for giving in to my sympathetic nervous system," she shot back. The two breathed heavily, clearly shaken by the ordeal of having to fight their way through a pool in Nifleheim to make it back. "Some of us didn't get as much of the fight response; some of us are given more of the flight part."

"Standing and gawking at certain death is not flight, it is suicide," he snapped.

"Okay, so I didn't get the fight thing or the flight thing, I just freeze, alright?" she spat back, still gasping and trying to compute the odd journey they had just made through a very uncomfortable vortex. He sighed heavily and looked away as she pulled her glasses off and looked them over carefully for any damage. She turned back to him for a beat. "No offense." He scoffed and shook his head. "I'm not exactly used to all of this, you know."

"Yes, yes, you're only human," he said dismissively. He glanced around the clearing noting that either Oski had abandoned them when they had been pulled in or she had fled shortly after their return. Either way, she was nowhere to be seen now and he had distinctly remembered seeing her as the waters had closed around him the first time and when crawling back onto dry land this time. It had truly disturbed him to be powerless on Nifleheim and he had shown his greatest weakness in front of the spirit of Laufey . . . his fear. Here his cowardice could easily be unnoticed in the presence of a full ability to do magic and that alone was comforting enough. "Well thank goodness that's over."

"You're telling me," Darcy muttered, looking around just as confusedly. "Where did everyone go? Well, that one woman anyway; everyone else has kind of avoided us except for the one guy that had me cornered in the forest."

Loki said nothing in response to this, but then suddenly recalled that she had taken off the binding on her hand and taken his. He knew that meant she had been granted access to one of three things; his thoughts at the present moment, his past, or a distorted version of his future. Whatever it was didn't matter for the time being, but it did sit poorly with him that she might've seen something in his past that he wanted kept to himself which was the overwhelming majority of it since puberty. He tore a piece of linen from one of his sleeves and reached out for her hand again, hurriedly wrapping the cloth around it before the power in the very atmosphere of this realm could take presence with her again. She sighed and waited for him to finish, closing her hand around his as he did so and then placing her other hand on top. He breathed deeply and looked into her eyes. It was frustrating tolerating her mortal limitations, but it was exceedingly satisfying to be adored and loved so entirely by this creature. He had thought for a short time that her courage in dealing with the lindwurm and the presence of Surtur had stemmed from ignorance, but now it was quite obvious that she had pushed fear aside for his sake . . . or so it seemed. He reached out and tenderly touched the side of her face, admiring the constant stream of affection she seemed to have for him and had seemed to have been fixated on since their worlds had, quite literally, collided with one another.

"I do wish there weren't so many awful things in our path; it detracts from your beauty and dampens my manners," he said. She smiled kindly in response. He slowly moved his hand downward, stroking the outline of her jaw with his thumb as he continued to admire the girl that had loved him for weeks. After a few seconds of embracing one another with their respective gaze, he withdrew his free hand, tightened the grasp on her marked hand, and stood, motioning for her to do the same. "Well, it appears Alfsheim is a lost cause, but I do have a plan. We will no longer be at the mercy of the whims of whatever farcical authority these realms claim to keep as sovereign."

"You kind of lost me with that," Darcy replied as she stood.

"There is no one realm from which I can rule, my powers exceed them, but after I am settled and have inherited what is left of Eldred's legacy, as is my right as his apprentice, I can begin a more thorough conquest for Midgard from a less evident angle," he said proudly. Darcy looked at him with concern. "Then your realm will have the order and peace it so deserves for noble creatures like you."

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight," Darcy said, standing firmly as she spoke which caused him to halt. "You, I mean, we're going to go back to Sylvanheim so you can inherit all your master's stuff and land and whatever after you kill him? That's just messed up," she remarked. He lifted a brow at her in confusion. This was how protocol for apprenticeships worked and very few sorcerers were not confronted by their apprentice in some form or another, particularly those that studied darker magic as Eldred did. "And then you're going to back to earth, but not as boldly as you did last time, and just try and take over the world again?"

"Well it hardly sounds proper when you describe it," he added.

Darcy sighed. "You don't get it, do you? Did it ever occur to you once that maybe, just maybe you should be doing things in the background, getting things done behind the scenes? You could be the wizard, or sorcerer people call on in their darkest hour or even start doing more as a healer or something! Why is it so important to you to rule over someone?" she asked, exasperated that even after all of their exploits and his obvious defeat in two realms that he was still insistent on subjugation of another realm. He frowned at her, a small sum of anger beginning to multiply in his features. "Why do you need a throne so badly?"

"I am royalty, born of royalty and raised by royalty," he explained. "I was born to be king, my father said so."

"Yeah, but you were born into the royal families of two kingdoms that aren't doing so good now, they're falling apart and you're not exactly good at fixing things, very few people are," Darcy explained as gently as she could. The trickster took a step backwards, anger becoming more apparent in him. She sighed heavily. "And you were adopted by a royal family, that doesn't give you right to their throne. I mean, that's tradition where you come from, right? Only someone of royal blood can take the throne."

"I _**am**_ of royal blood, you acknowledged this," he said, his voice rising in tone and volume with emotion.

"Yeah, but not _**their**_ blood and that's kind of important," she said. He narrowed his gaze at her. Darcy shook her head. She knew she had worded something incorrectly and sighed. "Look, that's not important, what is important is you're never going to be king of all earth . . . that hasn't happened for anyone. Look at our history, our empires and world leaders they all crumbled and collapsed."

"They were mortal I am not," he replied.

"Yeah? Well this is also a realm that killed the being that was supposed to be its messiah, an immortal, you gonna argue with that one?" she replied feeling a little irritated to be having to argue against world domination yet again. He turned away, suddenly overcome with even greater frustration. "Look, all I'm saying is humans are too diverse and disobedient to be ruled over. There's always going to be someone wanting to do their own thing just like you. Why can't you call yourself the king of Sylvanheim and leave it at that? That's a neat thing to be, right? All those dragons and things and there are supposed to be a couple of elves left there, too."

"So I'm to settle for whatever is left and create a title instead of claiming my birthright where I belong?" he asked angrily.

Darcy glanced from side to side and clasped her hands together anxiously. She shrugged. "Well, yeah, I guess. That's what I would do," she said. He shook his head and grasped his brow in frustration. "Unless you think you can go back and be the king of the ice giants."

He glared at her harshly causing her to take a defensive step backwards. He contained his temper, exercising a measure of control that had eluded his brother and father and made him superior in his ability to carry out plans. As of late he had been practically thwarted at every turn and had noticed the majority of his plans being created and undone quickly. He attributed this solely to the permanent notion that love causes any man to do very silly things. He shook his head and continued into the forest. "I hardly think your advice is crucial in this; after all you are a human and humans do not think well for themselves," he remarked half to himself and half to instruct her more emphatically. Darcy frowned and hurried after him. "Your kind were made to be ruled, you flounder about without guidance."

"That's only partly true. We've done just fine for a couple thousand years without you guys messing with anything," she said softly. "You just have to do things the hard way." As they continued along the path that led back to the crumbling palace, Darcy couldn't help but observe that a raven was following them and seemed to be calling out for them. She stopped and watched it for a moment as it moved to another branch, gazing directly at them. The raven cawed again and then took flight, disappearing into the forest ahead of them. She sighed and continued walking a few paces behind her bull-headed lover. "There aren't enough bandages on earth for the beating you're gonna get if you go back and start something again. Uncle Tony's really wanting to tear you apart and it looked like he wasn't alone."

"A few years of waiting to act will give the sot enough of a chance to burn out the rest of his vital innards the way he destroyed his inhibitions," Loki remarked with a smirk. It did amuse him that a mortal could be as adept in battle as Stark had been even while intoxicated. He turned and grinned at her. "Problem solved."

"Yeah, but those years could be better spent turning him into a pink ostrich at an international convention, turning his house into a giant ice cream sandwich or turning his cars into gummy bears, making whatever kids he has turn into alligators every now and then, and making his armor turn into solid plastic just as he's five feet away from coming in for a landing," she offered. He turned and stared at her in shock. She grinned back at him proudly. "Mischief managed." The look of shock turned into a slight look of disgust. "What?"

"Those are wicked things to do someone, particularly to your own kin," he observed with an expression of horror. She stared back at him a little concerned. She thought she had said something that would've amused him, but now it dawned on her that she had just admitted to him that she thought about doing some pretty terrible things for fun in the darker, undisciplined part of her mind. He quickly smiled brightly and bowed in a genuine display of approval. "I marvel at your untested talent and bow in awe of such creativity."

"It's always the quiet ones you have to look out for," she replied with a sly grin. As the two laughed and turned back to the worn path, the raven suddenly appeared in front of them, cawing loudly. Darcy shrieked and grabbed hold of Loki's sleeve. He took hold of her and shielded them from the flapping wings and scratching talons as it hovered, cawing madly. "What the . . .? What's its problem?"

"You can't go back to the palace!" a strange, croaking voice announced. Both froze for a moment trying to place where the voice was coming from. They watched as the raven landed and slowly transformed into Brenhin. He had been missing since their arrival and neither had any idea of where he might've gone. The news from Drifa that he had been disgraced and banished had been unnerving, but it didn't give them an idea of where to find him. He looked very frightened and a little worn out, nothing less than what they had expected but the fear in his features and the insistence in his voice told them to be even more afraid of what they might find from the distant natives. "We must head eastward away from all this and then we can find a suitable place to stay. There are terrible things happening back there, terrible things."

"I'm gonna regret asking, but they're not planning to kill us, are they?" Darcy asked wanting the worst either confirmed for now or set aside. The ambiguity of danger was more daunting than being threatened with death outright. Brenhin frowned at her. "What? But he's one of them!"

"Unfortunately, the mandates made by Tapio and Django years ago are quite clear about Asgardian intruders. I tried to free them, but they are watched too closely and I'm no use in the other form," Brenhin said with a sad sigh. Loki stared at him in confusion. "And that is what they'll likely decide for you after they're done with the executions." Executions? Loki's heart and mind began to race. The prisoners that Narfi and Oksi had mentioned, his brother's friends, they were going to die here at the hands of an angered kingdom. The memory of Drifa's words made his mouth go dry and his hands go numb for a moment; Volstagg's blood would be on his hands. Of all the things he was willing to do to the warriors that had served his brother and jeered at him, letting them die like this was not one of them; wounding them, yes, imprisoning them, definitely, but not death. Brenhin grasped his new master's shoulder tightly and looked sternly into his eyes. "We must go before they come for Darcy. Humans are just as unwelcome for less valid reasons."

Loki thought quickly about the best way to get in and save them as well as get them away from Alfsheim. He suddenly noticed a new and yet familiar pouch dangling from Brenhin's belt. He reached down and snatched it without warning. Darcy observed this, her heart thundering in terror at having to flee for their lives yet again from angry magical creatures. "This is my mother's," Loki realized aloud. He didn't have time for a superficial correction in regarding Marya as his mother instead of Frigga. He opened the pouch and looked within. There were nine stones. "What are these?"

"The large one, the red-bearded prisoner claims that it offers transport from the realms. The other three didn't know about them and he refused to use them until he had retrieved you," Brenhin replied. "I told him I would find you and he asked me to give them to you so that you could return to her. Perhaps if we stayed out of sight from the All-Father, we might . . ."

"My mother sent . . .?" Loki began, trailing off sadly as he realized that Thor's insistence on earth in getting him home had, indeed, not been out of anger or resentment. His parents did want him home, his mother did in the very least to part with so powerful a gift. The ability to move throughout the realms was a precious and rare thing indeed and to have it gave one practically the power of Odin. Frigga had been most fond of Volstagg and had personally asked him to fulfill a number of tasks throughout his life; this was clearly important to her. He grasped the pouch for a moment and the forced it back into Brenhin's hand, staring firmly into his eyes. "Keep Darcy here, Brenhin, right here," he commanded sternly. Darcy began to protest, but he turned and gave her a stern look unlike any other he had ever given her before turning back to his servant to finish his command. "Both of you are to wait here for my return. If you stray even an inch from this place I'll make your banishment look like a hero's welcome."

Brenhin frowned at the youth, but nodded slowly. "Be careful, Loki," he warned. "These are not daft Asgardians or brutish Jotuns or simple Humans . . . the elves are as clever and able minded as you are and twice as skilled in their own realm."

"Then this will be a terrible blow to their pride," Loki said before disappearing.

Darcy gasped and took a step forward. Brenhin turned and frowned at her, prompting her to stop moving entirely. She groaned and sat down, folding her arms unhappily. "This is just great, he's going to get himself killed; you know that, right?" she remarked as Brenhin stared off into the distance. He sighed and knelt, allowing his form to shift back into the raven's. He hopped over to Darcy and then leapt onto her forearm, waiting as patiently as possible for his master's return. "This is what he should be doing, really. He's pretty good at causing trouble."

"Agreed," Brenhin replied in the rough, croaking voice. She reached down and stroked his feathery back as they sat silently and waited.

(*)

Thor released Jane from an embrace and turned back to Heimdall. He had been warned by his father that going to retrieve the warriors would be a difficult enough task after the gate-keeper had revealed seeing them on Alfsheim. Odin had reminded his son that retrieving his brother would be a feat that even he himself would find difficult. Jane had hinted at the fact that it would actually be more appropriate and safe for the king to go and help retrieve his adopted child, especially after he had caused such trouble on earth, but Odin ignored the woman's words as he had made clear he would do for the rest of whatever time she spent in Asgard. Despite Thor's protests and repeated proclamations of undying love, Odin continued to refuse any acceptance of a mortal as a daughter in law and allow Thor to bind himself to so fleeting a creature. Heimdall carefully placed his golden sword in the chamber lock. The walls of the chamber were marred and stained with wear from floating about in the universe below. A few dents still remained from the blast of power that had resulted from Mjolnir's final blow to the bridge and Loki's final attempt at using Gungnir. The chamber began to slowly turn, more slowly than it had ever turned for the gate-keeper. Heimdall frowned and turned his empty eyes to Thor.

"It will take a few moments to regain its power," he explained flatly. Thor nodded and stepped forward. "There is great turmoil on Alfsheim and Loki is preparing to make an even greater confusion. The court of Tapio is attempting to destroy Lady Sif and The Warriors Three in the name of an old blood-oath. You will have very little time to retrieve them before the Bifrost reclaims what stands in its path."

"I will do whatever is necessary to save them," Thor replied. Heimdall nodded to him as the glow from the Bifrost grew and began to turn the chamber even faster. "All of them."

(*)

Fandral knelt in front of the ruling prince Django uncomfortably. This was the only realm in existence where his charm was unappreciated. It didn't seem real for his life to be ending like this. The Bifrost completely destroyed, the royal family torn apart, and now to be at the mercy of a race that was once noted for their nobility and grace. Django looked out at the small crowd of his kindred and subjects. Tapio was not far, he rarely was, wandering around the rest of the palace continuing to mourn mindlessly while there were more important things to be done. Django, who would've been a dashing match for Fandral save for darker hair and eyes, gripped the hilt of his broadsword and recited the decree that sentenced all intruders of Asgardian blood to death in the name of Odin's treachery and his role in the murder of their princess and the destruction of their peaceful kingdom. Fandral groaned inwardly and looked back at the rest of his friends sadly. He had been selected as the first to be killed being the most verbal and irritating of the group. Even though they didn't have the close connections to the dwarves that forged the powerful items Asgard depended upon, these creatures seemed to have found the only rope strong enough to bind an Asgardian and had made innumerable lengths from it. Clearly they had been suffering from a hatred of the immortal realm for centuries. Fandral drew in a deep breath and fought away tears in the name of dignity.

"It is in the name of the blood of our princess, the sanctity of our realm, and the unyielding power of our laws, that you die," Django announced, lifting his sword.

Fandral closed his eyes and prayed madly for some sort of miracle. If only Thor were here with the mighty Mjolnir in his hand, that would surely spare all of them and send these savages running. Django grunted and cried out as he brought down the sword. Fandral could hear Sif cry out as he prepared for his world to end. Django felt his hands slip a fraction of an inch and suddenly felt the hardened crystal silver hilt become slippery, cold, scaly flesh. He stared in shock as the sword transformed without reason or warning into a water serpent. It wriggled furiously and turned it's long, grayish green neck about, facing the prince with unbridled hostility. The crest of fins at either side of its head jutted forward and trembled as it opened its mouth wide, hissing furiously and bearing its enormous fangs and rows of smaller, razor like teeth. Django cried out and released the serpent that fell to the ground beside Fandral. Fandral leaned away from it, but smiled brightly. "Loki," he said in realization.

The serpent turned to him for a beat, but closed its mouth and retracted the fins on its head. Its tongue shot forward for a moment in the usual fashion of serpents and the Asgardian could've sworn it winked one blank, black eye at him. He laughed and turned to look back up at the terrified elf who had stumbled backwards and was only just now regaining his composure. Django roared angrily and reached for a dagger in his belt, lunging at the serpent. "Vile beast!" he shouted furiously as he missed and then withdrew, lunging again. Fandral rolled quickly and carefully in front of the serpent allowing the dagger to come down into the ropes around his wrists. Fandral quickly pulled his wrists away from one another, wrenching what was left of the bindings in half. Django snarled and lunged forward at the warrior, oblivious to the serpent still recoiled and enraged. Fandral watched in amazement as the serpent hissed once more and then leapt into the air, contorting its slimy features as it leapt at the elf. Django was entirely unused to dealing with serpents, but water serpents were even more tricky a creature to contend with, a perfect being for Loki to use for the moment. The beast opened its jaws and viciously threw itself at Django's shoulder, sinking its fangs deeply into his flesh and tearing at the surface with its smaller teeth. Its tail and body flailed madly as Django screamed in pain and dropped the dagger. "Besnik! Do something! Help me!"

(*)

Darcy heard the first shout from their safe distance and felt a stab of guilt and fear rip through her chest. She stood quickly and began to hurry down the rest of the path. Brenhin cawed in protest, too frightened of the full reaction of everyone present to hurry after the girl in his true form. She turned and called back to him over her shoulder. "I know what he said, but he also knows me better than that by now!" she called. She turned back to the path, breathing heavily and praying that whatever had happened hadn't wounded her beloved. "I can't let him do this alone." Brenhin flew hurriedly after the girl, cawing madly and hoping to alert Loki to this predicament before they arrived.

(*)

Fandral hurried forward and grabbed the blade, his hand suddenly meeting the hand of another being who had appeared out of nowhere. He looked up into the pale and still fearful eyes of Loki. Being this close to danger without a proper weapon wasn't nearly as frightening as facing Laufey or even Thanos unarmed, but the shame of facing friends that he had hoped to wound was more disheartening than any enemy. To his surprise Fandral took hold of the dagger and then his arm in the same regard he had given to him during their last battle together on Jotunheim. He patted the trickster's shoulder with more than gratitude and laughed. "It's always a serpent, you really should consider something else if you don't want to give yourself away," Fandral said with a hearty tone of friendship. Loki stared at him in disbelief for a moment, but then the sound of other blades being drawn and shouting from the rest of the court drew his attention elsewhere. "Sword or no sword, I'll have these barbarians begging for mercy!"

"No, you and the rest must return to Asgard at once. Leave the rest of this to me," Loki said firmly. Fandral appraised his estranged compatriot for a moment and then nodded. Loki watched Besnik join his companion, trying to pry the serpent off of his older brother. Its scaly form slipped through his hands repeatedly prompting frustrated exclamations from both. Satisfied that the two were occupied enough for the moment, Loki turned and glared at the rest of the court who were crying out in horror to each other, but none of them wanting to leap in and handle the likes of a water serpent. He grinned and hurried over to the other three warriors waiting for their fates as well. Fandral took the dagger and knelt beside Hogun, sawing furiously at the ropes binding him. Loki summoned a surge of magic into one hand forming it into a shard of crystal silver matching the blade that Django had at his disposal, quite possibly the only thing that could cut through them.

He knelt quickly beside Sif and cut through the ropes more quickly, his physical strength increasing with the terror and anger filling him. Sif, a well of inner conflict where the sadness of losing her life and her friends', the anger at being attacked by creatures unprovoked, the anger at former a friend and lover who had been treacherous dead and revived all in a month's time, and the joy of that same friend appearing, felt entirely overwhelmed at everything surging through her all at once now that a rescue was underway. As the ropes fell away from her wrists she instantly turned and grasped the trickster's shoulders, holding him face to face with her for a beat. He stared at her in shock as an inexplicable urge suddenly manifested itself in the warrior. She drew in a deep breath and forced her lips against his, pressing herself deeply against him in both rage and gratitude. Loki gasped, but felt too shocked to fight this off instantaneously. In truth this had been something he had desired deeply for years ever since she had publically dejected him.

Darcy hurried through the crumbling hallways, back to where they had first entered the palace and where Brenhin had last seen the warriors. He continued to caw madly and protest everything transpiring helplessly. She came to a halt between two columns, still standing throughout the years of despair. She looked around hurriedly, frantically for Loki. Her eyes widened in horror as she finally located her beloved and the warrior currently attached to him. The kiss couldn't have been initiated by him, could it? He knew that she didn't love him, he had flown into a fit of rage because of it. The sight turned her stomach and brought her to kneeling, staring unwavering at them until the trickster found the strength to pull away. They stared at each other wordlessly for a moment, unsure of what had just happened, why it had happened, and what to do next. Loki broke the silence, shaking himself and turning his attention to Volstagg who, being the largest of the group, had more rope binding him than any of them and it was taking both Hogun and Fandral to try and make any progress. Loki grabbed the edge of one of the ropes, recognizing it as the central and most critical of the bindings used, and furiously cut through it, freeing the final warrior and turning to appraise whether or not the rest of the court was readying to attack. His eyes fell on Darcy and, without any anger at her disobedience whatsoever, his heart sank. A single tear rolled down her cheek and panic finally filled the trickster just as fully as the desperation he had drawn on in freeing his estranged friends.

"Intruder! You shameless testament to Jotun perfidy!" Django shouted as he managed to free himself from the serpent. Besnik had finally found his own dagger and managed to stab the creature a few times causing it to shrink into a screaming mass before dropping to the ground as shards of what was once Django's sword. The furious prince pointed toward the trickster. "You will die with them!" A flash of light interrupted the proclamation and a loud 'boom' filled the air. Django and Besnik shrieked along with the rest of the court while the four warriors and the trickster turned and watched a bolt of light and pure energy touch the ground a few feet away. Unsettled soil and shards of wood and marble settled after the crash, leaving the impressive figure of Thor, the son of Odin, standing and ready to answer the needs of his friends. He raised Mjolnir, glaring at Django who was obviously the primary threat to them and ready to kill his brother as well. Django growled. "The son of Odin dares to enter our realm . . . we will finally have retribution."

Darcy watched in amazement as Thor readied to make battle with an obviously inferior creature. She suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and noticed Brenhin standing behind her back in his proper form. It struck an odd chord with her that his eyes had changed from their usual green to a combination of green, brown, and grey. He seemed disturbed at the sight before them, but not entirely terrified as he had been a moment ago. He frowned looking out at the rest of the scene. "Oh dear," he muttered. "This can't end well."

"It didn't start well, either," Darcy remarked, an ache forming in her heart as she realized something she had ignored entirely for some time as the sight of Sif, the kiss, and the frustration of his words from earlier began to churn madly within her. She was mortal and could do very little to help these powerful creatures and no matter what she said to him or what happened between them, he would continue to see her race as inferior and try to subjugate her world. As much as she loved Loki, she was always going to be left behind or ordered to stay put especially during the conquest of earth. She felt the ache grow into a sharp stab as though one of their daggers had found its way into her heart. Brenhin noticed this and, to Darcy's surprise, grinned. He leaned down and clutched her shoulder more tightly. Darcy stared at him in concern as his eyes swirled with their odd colour and then, without a word, his face and body changed entirely. She had no idea where Brenhin was and guessed that something had happened to him as he had flown through the forest and they had lost sight of him, something unspeakable to have allowed this to happen. She stared in horror at a being she had never really seen before . . . Eldred. She drew in a sharp breath and found that, with the disappointment from a moment ago and the incident on Nifleheim, she just didn't feel as frightened of him as she had thought she would. "What do you want?"

"That can wait," he said with an eerie smile as he turned back to the sight of the battle about to unfold. She glared at him and then turned back to the clearing as well. "I want to see what will become of my apprentice first."


	47. Brenhin's Sacrifices

_(((Ah, finally able to reconcile the character I saw in 'The Avengers' with the character I have come to feel fondly for. Tom Hiddleston, you did an amazing job at taking a trickster and turning him demonic for a short time, oh, and I really hope the insult to Black Widow wasn't add-libbed as the rumors have been you naughty boy! Almost to the end, my friends!)))_

Chapter 47: Brenhin's Sacrifices

Eldred watched intently as the warriors gathered behind him quickly, weapons drawn. Loki remained staunchly between the group of Asgardians and his two new uncles as well as the majority of the nation they belonged to. He turned back and forth, glancing at the ones and then the others. Django glared angrily at his nephew as the standoff continued. Eldred frowned, sincerely disappointed that he hadn't yet seen bloodshed or heard screaming not even from the others present. Seeing his apprentice gutted and slashed was preferred, of course, but at the moment his thirst would've been somewhat assuaged by the sight of any bloody confrontation. Darcy grunted and pulled harder against him, managing to free herself and flee back into the forest calling for Brenhin. Loki turned instantly, hearing his beloved's voice. He suddenly noticed that not only had Darcy disappeared, but Eldred remained in her place. He moved to follow her and suddenly felt the familiar strength in his brother's hand as it closed around his arm and held him in place. He turned back, genuine concern in his glowing green eyes.

"Darcy needs me," he said quickly, finding the strength for the first time to break free of Thor's grasp.

In an instant, both the Son of Odin and the two Sons of Tapio hurried forward at the trickster, their intentions quite opposite from one another. Loki froze, unsure of what to do now. Should he teleport to the side and hurry after Darcy and run the risk of the two elves facing off with his elder brother? Or should he stay put and try not to catch the sharp end of the three-way clash? Before he could contemplate it for a fraction of a second more, a loud roar ripped through the atmosphere. All present turned and the elves present immediately bowed at the sound save for Django and Besnik. Thor's eyes widened more than his younger siblings as they all beheld the sight of an enormous brown bear as it stood on its hind legs. Its eyes glowed as bright green as Loki's and his gaze was fixed on the trickster. This must have been Tapio and he was just as massive, if not more so, as the great white bear king on Midgard. Django and Besnik both stepped away from their nephew, staring in reverence and slight fear at the sight of their father. The sky above began churning; the five Asgardians looked up toward the sky, recognizing the energy of the Bifrost penetrating the atmosphere of the realm albeit more slowly than they had ever seen it before.

"We are out of time," Hogun observed.

Thor and Loki turned back to one another, the younger frowning fretfully. The trickster sighed heavily. "I know what you want, but I will not go back," Loki said firmly. He could see the arguments forming in Thor's features and knew that he could add something to make it sound more legitimate. "Not without Darcy."

"Brother, our father is waiting to . . ." Thor argued. Light pierced the ground behind them and Hogun suddenly disappeared. Less than a second later Fandral did the same and then Sif, all violently drawn into the sky up a burning stream of light. Volstagg looked at the churning sky anxiously and shouted to the two before he knew he would inevitably join his friends.

"I promised the queen I wouldn't return without finding you," he called.

"Wait for me where you keep Drifa, I will join you at night fall!" Loki shouted back. He had no intention of finding his way back to Asgard, but knew Drifa would tell the warrior long after he himself was free to find his beloved. Thor reached out to take hold of his brother yet again, knowing that he could easily enlist his father's assistance in this and make retrieving Darcy not only much easier and smoother than just retrieving her themselves. Once Loki was home, their parents could finally make sure he stayed there; not only to answer for the incident on Midgard, but to reconcile everything that had torn them so violently apart. Loki frowned at him, knowing all too well what his brother was planning. He had managed to escape the metal trappings that Thor had hoped would ensure his brother's compliance after the first raid on Midgard, but the trickster knew that even without the shackles his brother intended to make him answer for every bit of fun he had created as well as every life he had cost or endangered. Loki had remorse for the terrible loss of life, humans were expendable but they didn't truly deserve execution, but he had no intention of being led before the All-Father to endure any tongue lashing or other punishment. No, he had no intention of returning with his brother and here was the perfect excuse. "Not now, not without her."

Before the elder could manage to finally get a proper hold on the younger, a louder roar streamed from the enormous bear king who leapt high into the air and hurled himself toward the two. He landed deftly between them and rose to his hind legs once more, roaring furiously at Thor. Loki took a step backwards in shock, but then realized suddenly that Django and Besnik had lowered their weapons. He grinned and then disappeared, though without any flash of light. Thor shouted angrily back at the bear as the sight of his brother faded. Light surrounded him, drawing him up and away from the powerful lunge of Tapio. The bear king snorted and growled ferociously as he tried to sense where his grandson had gone to. He turned back to Django and Besnik, standing and transforming into a regal aged elf with white hair and anger filling his piercing green eyes. He strode towards them, prompting both to move backwards in fear.

"What have you done?"Tapio demanded furiously. Django frowned at his father, glancing back at Besnik for a moment as he did the same. Tapio snarled and hurled a surge of magic energy toward the ropes that had been cut away from the warriors, causing debris to go flying as the remnants burst into flames. He glared at both sons crossly. "I gave perfectly clear instructions should he ever appear among us again!"

"He has chosen to side with Asgard, he has chosen their garb, their appearance, everything about him is practically born of Asgard," Django argued. Tapio lunged forward, instantly resuming the form of the massive brown bear and let out a massive roar causing a hushed murmur from the rest of the remaining citizens present. "Your instructions were clearer in dealing with that realm of wicked . . ." Django stammered.

"What he has chosen in the past can easily be dealt with, it is his destiny to restore what his father destroyed," Tapio snarled and dropped back to the ground on all fours, turning toward the forest. He could smell the foul scent of dark magic and the sorcerer behind it. "I am going to retrieve him and when I return you will not interfere."

Django and Besnik both shuddered a little at the king's warning as he galloped off into the forest, growing more desperate at the scent of what was left of his daughter and more furious at the scent of Eldred's treachery.

(*)

"Brenhin?" Darcy called. Her pace had slowed and she glanced around the woods cautiously. She had deliberately begun shouting not only to try and find Brenhin, but also to alert Loki to the fact she had returned to the forest. The sounds of a normal forest met her in reply, but there was no sound from Brenhin whatsoever not even a groan or a raven's caw. She shuddered inwardly and continued to move forward, slowing down even more with each pace and looking around her more discreetly. "Brenhin? Brenhin, where are you?"

After a few more moments of walking and calling out for the servant, she suddenly heard a soft moan . . . a pained moan. She drew in a deep breath and raced towards it, skidding to a stop in the middle of a clearing not far from the pool where they had entered Nornheim. Her heart sank as she saw Brenhin lying in the clearing, face down and with a large wound coursing with blood from between his shoulders. There was no sign of what Eldred had used to inflict the deep gash, but blood still slowly coursed from the wound weakening him with each breath. Eldred had clearly wanted to kill him, but his supra-mortal gifts kept him painfully alive yet again. Darcy raced over to him and knelt, her heart now racing as she realized how pale he was, more pale than she had ever seen Loki. As she reached down and touched his shoulder, it dawned on her that Eldred shouldn't have been able to find them according to Loki's careful traveling along a makeshift bridge instead of transporting. How had he managed to find them in a realm that he didn't frequent?

"It never ceases to amaze the way you human women will go running after an invalid," Eldred observed coldly from a short distance away. Darcy turned and glared at him as he stepped into the clearing, tears of rage and sadness filling the lower outline of both eyes. "I admit that I am still in the dark as to how and where you have hidden the Norn Queen's magic, or where my apprentice has tried to hide it, but I do know that it is in your possession . . . yours entirely." Darcy called for Loki as loud as she could, hoping that perhaps Thor would join him as well. Eldred sneered. "Clearly Brenhin did not have it," he continued, gesturing to the fallen servant. Darcy grasped the man's shoulder as he groaned once more, too weak to do much else. "And I don't see a mewling little girl keeping it without intervention from a well-learned sorcerer," he said taking a few more smaller steps towards them. Darcy stood up and instinctively reached for her taser, unsettled to find that she had been forced to leave it behind when fleeing Sylvanheim. She tried to think of something else she could use as a weapon to defend herself. "Being in the service of a trickster would give you access to a number of means to disguise it. Now, I will give you a fair few moments to either prove to me that it is not in your possession before you tell me where it is or to return it to me at once."

Darcy suddenly noticed the hilt of either a knife or a small dagger protruding from the servant's belt. She snatched it and stood quickly, holding the blade out towards the sorcerer furiously. The binding over the mark on her hand was oddly effective; Eldred had not seen or been able to feel the magic past it at all. Loki must have enchanted it somehow, she thought. Eldred grinned, watching her stand with the blade and boldly warning him to stay back. "You're not going to like what'll happen if you're here when he finds me," she warned. Eldred laughed scornfully. Darcy frowned and held the dagger out more firmly. "I don't think he'll let you live this time."

"Oh I doubt he'll have skill or strength for anything less than fleeing my wrath," Eldred replied, taking another step forward. "Now give me the Norn Queen's magic."

"You're digging in deep," she continued in a low tone. Eldred stood a mere five feet from her, his eyes narrowed at her trying to decipher whether or not she truly had the enchantment.

"You have tried someone's patience for the last time," Eldred growled.

"Eldred, son of Brathlar," a loud, masculine voice announced. Darcy didn't recognize it, but she could see that Eldred must have recognized the sound and the authority of the person behind it. His features turned pale and he seemed to shrink a little at the sound. Darcy watched as an older man clad in golden armor entered the clearing holding a massive spear towards Eldred. The sorcerer cowered and gazed in fear as the man approached. Darcy furrowed her brow trying to place the new intruder. She had never seen him before and she was certain that he had never seen her. A patch covered what must have been an old wound from a battle that had cost him an eye, but there was no band or string to it whatsoever. He lifted the golden spear, glaring at Eldred. "I banished you from the nine realms . . . for all eternity." Eldred shrank back even more, looking terribly confused and frightened. "You know well what happens to those that dare defy me."

"Impossible . . ." Eldred muttered. "You have no means to have seen this . . . not with your own magic, not with Heimdall's power. This is impossible!"

"Flee and I might allow you time to reconcile your madness before I hunt you down," the old man warned in a low tone.

Eldred narrowed his eyes at the man and stood still, gauging whether or not it was prudent to move forward. The man lifted the spear once more and fired a blast of golden energy to the side of the sorcerer, spraying light and fire in the forest. Eldred let out a shriek and cowered once more. "I gave you ample time to obey," he said angrily.

"This is not over, Odin All-Father," Eldred shouted back with terror lacing his trembling voice. "I have a debt still owed me by your son and when all the runes of power are finally mine I will finish what I started years ago . . . him first and then the rest of you!"

The old man shouted furiously and fired the spear once more. Eldred instantly knelt and transported his image away as the blast of energy formed around where he had been standing, leaving a smoldering, black crater no deeper than a footprint but well burned. Darcy had placed her arms over Brenhin protectively at the first sight of the old man and remained so, shuddering and breathing heavily as she watched him lower the spear and turn in her direction. He slowly began to walk towards her dropping the spear in the process. As he moved forward, a golden glow formed around him and the aged features and armor faded into the image of Loki. She let out a huge sigh of relief and sat back away from Brenhin, keeping one hand on his shoulder. It escaped her for the moment that she had seen her beloved in the middle of a more than fond display with a former lover. Brenhin seemed to be dying and she felt her heart aching at that thought. Loki made his way to the pair and smirked at the success of his disguise yet again. He was growing more powerful and convincing with each attempt and this had been the most cunning work of all.

"That wasn't a pleasant façade, but it did the job," he said contentedly. Darcy turned and looked up at him frantically. The trickster's smile faded as he suddenly realized that Brenhin was terribly wounded, even more so then before. He knelt quickly and helped Darcy turn him, taking the servant's head and laying it on one knee as he tried to remember something, anything that he had been taught about healing which wasn't much. Brenhin groaned and breathed sharply. "Well this is unsettling."

"It's nothing for you two to worry about," Brenhin lied, coughing as he tried to breathe more deeply and speak more loudly. Darcy instinctively tried to find a place on him to put pressure to stop the bleeding. The wound must've been dealt from the back with magic, but it penetrated through to his front and seemed to have burst through just below his sternum. "Time is growing short; you should both head to Asgard at once; I will wait for Tapio. He seeks you, but I have words to give him myself." He reached out and grasped the trickster's nearest hand tightly, looking desperately into his eyes. "The All-father will be able to protect you from Eldred and tell you what to do with Norn Queen's magic."

Darcy's heart sank as Brenhin began to grow more pale with each breath. Loki frowned, not merely at the thought of leaving behind a friend and loyal servant, but at the thought of facing his adopted family and the kingdom that had rejected his rule. Then again with both Darcy and Brenhin present, perhaps the All-father would be moved with compassion to mercy. The trickster quickly felt through his robes for a healing stone, grunting in frustration as he realized there were none. A sudden twinge of fear gripped the trickster at realizing he had no control, no means to help his friend recover at the moment. Freezing this wound or cooling it would be more traumatic than it had been for the burns and he had expended too much power in disguising himself as Odin to gather any power to help heal him outright. Loki began to breathe erratically at the thought that Brenhin might grow more weak or worse, die. He frantically searched the servant's robes and saw Darcy unwind the bindings on her hand, placing it hurriedly over the blood-stained mess on his abdomen, trying to concentrate enough to allow herself to think clearly about helping him. Brenhin frowned at this, knowing that they were acting out of instinct, but vainly so. He sighed and reached out, gripping Darcy's marked hand with one of his own and Loki's hand with his other as firmly as he could manage at the moment, in truth it was only the strength of a newborn.

"You must go to Asgard, both of you, it is not safe here at all," Brenhin said firmly yet again, mustering all the strength he could to speak to them. Darcy let out a frustrated sigh and looked at Loki pleadingly. He returned her gaze just as frustrated and fearful of losing the man. Brenhin looked more fully into the trickster's eyes and tried to pull himself closer. "Loki, when the realm was most fearful of Laufey's return, the only answer I could think of, the safest place for you, was in the All-father's protection. I tried to tell Marya, I pleaded with her to take you and for all of us to wait out the rest of the war. She was so strong, but so prideful. She refused and that is what killed her. She refused to go to safety . . . she refused to come."

"Brenhin, save your strength, it won't take long to find safe shelter here," Loki corrected, squeezing the man's hand for emphasis. The notion of leaving Brenhin behind had never been a source of anxiety for the trickster throughout his exploits in other realms during his apprenticeship. Now it seemed like sheer betrayal. Darcy felt the same staunch desire to stay beside the man, regretting having wandered off last time and leaving the two to find shelter on Midgard. Brenhin frowned at both of them and pulled against Loki's hand.

"Don't be a fool, boy. This is no time to argue, no time for your selfish pride. I am among my own kind again and even disgraced I will be alright," he said with a renewed strength allowing a seriously stern tone and harsh gaze. Loki placed his other hand on the man's shoulder as a tear formed in one eye. It rolled down the servant's pale cheek as he gasped and gave a final warning. "Don't make the same mistake she did. If I had succeeded, you would never have known this heartache." He glanced over at Darcy for a moment and then back at his master and friend. "You will not destroy Eldred or keep your beloved safe unless you go home." Loki's mind spun for a minute, trying to form a suitable argument. Brenhin growled a little. "Now, you fool, go home!"

The trickster felt a sharp smack on the face with the man's last few words and realized that not only was he right about the next course of action, he was beyond help for the time being. He slowly stood, taking Darcy's hand firmly and forcing her to do the same. She fought for a moment, trying to find some way to use the mark to heal him. As she began to protest, a loud roar shook the atmosphere. Brenhin smirked for a moment and then nodded to the pair. Loki frowned but nodded solemnly to him. "Thank you, Brenhin," he said flatly. Darcy looked at him in astonishment. Before she could speak, they vanished from Alfsheim. Light and colours flashed wildly around them as he hurled their forms toward Asgard. He had the perfect hiding place near the outside of the city where he had tried to detach himself from exile before. In the end he had been forced to reunite with his physical form unfortunately in time to be captured twice and thoroughly beaten. The two appeared in a more quiet and less populated region of the realm, as serene and solitary as he had remembered it. Darcy looked around frantically.

"We can't just leave him there!" she said, shoving him harshly. "We have to go back and get him! You can take him to your own healers, but he's going to die if we just leave him there!"

Loki sighed and took her hand once more, squeezing it just as comfortingly as he had done for Brenhin and thankfully able to do so without any of the servant's blood on him. "Brenhin would not have allowed me to leave him if he had been dying," he lied. "He is prideful, but he is also easily frightened. He will have aid, begrudgingly given no doubt, but it will be given."

"I don't know that I believe you," Darcy said as she reached up with her free hand and angrily wiped away a few tears. Loki frowned at her and looked back towards the small dwelling that he had used as a hidden shelter. "What are we doing so far from the palace?"

He thought quickly. He couldn't tell her that he was hiding indefinitely from his foster family, but he couldn't think of anything to excuse this shameful locale either. An idea suddenly came to him. He gripped her hand more tightly and turned, walking towards the other side of Asgard. "Come, this is not where I intended for us to stay," he said, again giving a falsehood as easily as the truth. "I promised my brother and his friends that we would wait for them at the home of another friend. She will be glad of the company, I am sure."

Darcy halted and pulled against his hand. Loki turned at realizing the strength in Darcy was fueled by anger. He stared at her in surprise as she glared at him. "So there is still something between you and that Sif woman. That's where we're going, isn't it?"

"No," he said defensively, now being honest. Nausea quivered in the base of his insides at realizing he had not avoided explaining the kiss. "Darcy, that was nothing and you heard her yourself; she doesn't love me and I certainly don't love her."

"That was nothing?" Darcy asked angrily, clearly not convinced.

He sighed. "She was grateful I had spared her a terrible fate and the others. I know not how to explain this further to you for it is just as much a mystery to me, one that I do not relish solving and I would very much like to forget," he replied.

Darcy lifted one brow, more at ease but still not entirely convinced. The emotional upheavals of the day, of the past few days, had left the trickster a frazzled ball of nerves almost as raw and wired as an unstable mortal. Two minutes before he had been consumed with sorrow and dread, then relief, then fright and indignation, and now suddenly he looked into Darcy's enormous green eyes and felt a torrent of passion. He pulled her to him quickly and snatched her into an impromptu embrace. Darcy gasped as he grasped her tightly, one hand pressed firmly against her spine and the other cradling the back of her head. He pulled her head towards him, leaning down and pressing their lips together as sweetly yet sternly as he could manage. There was penitence and purpose in this kiss and Darcy surrendered to both. Her emotions had shifted so frequently that she was willing to allow the changing trickster to determine their direction for the time being. She sighed, satisfied with this display that he was in earnest. The kiss between Sif and Loki hadn't looked nearly this intimate and Darcy wanted too desperately to love him than to cling to any notion that he did not reciprocate. He released her slightly, pressing his forehead against hers and reveling in the smooth warmth she gave him with her brow.

Without another word, Loki pulled away still grasping her hand, and led them towards Drifa's dwelling. A wry grin had formed on his lips, pushing completely aside the notion of losing Brenhin and stating once and for all to himself that the man had been overly dramatic and would be back to make his life miserable in no time. He concentrated instead on Darcy's presence and what he could fill a few moments with before returning to Alfsheim and Sylvanheim. She had been a pleasant distraction for some time and he praised the simple mistake he had made in taking her in Jane's place. She also felt inclined to concentrate on the moment, having learned from her adventures with the trickster thus far that fretting about anything actually made the state of things worse. She watched her beloved and, with her mark, sensed that he was thinking about the night he had taken her. She grinned coyly and smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear, walking more closely to him and wrapping her other hand around his forearm.

"Do you remember what happened when we first got here? I mean, when I had just met you?" she asked with a melodic smile. He glanced back down at her as they moved forward and grinned as well.

"I believe that after introductions were made, it was not unlike the moment we just shared," he replied happily. "I only regret that I lost consciousness shortly after."

"Yeah, you did," she laughed. The two laughed a little longer, using any means to keep the moment light enough to continue to be a thorough distraction. "It sure took you long enough to get a base further."

He glanced down at her in confusion. "A base further?"

"Yeah, you know, taking things to another level? Uh, going an extra step in a relationship?" she explained.

"Ah," he said, nodding as he understood the phrase. He grinned more brightly. "It wasn't for lack of desire, though I do think if I had known who you truly were . . ." he spotted Drifa's solitary dwelling as they made their way to the top of a verdant hill. The palace and the city proper were far out of sight and this would mean peace and quiet as well as enough time to gather the strength needed to mask their presence from Volstagg upon his arrival. The trickster turned and smiled suggestively at his beloved. "Then I do believe I might've gone a base further than a kiss that very first time."

She blushed and pulled his shoulder against her cheek. She thought about how much had transpired for them between the night in the healing room and in that first passionate hour they matched love and desire with equal hearts and well-formed bodies to willing souls and waiting spirits. She sighed as they approached the large dwelling, consumed oddly in thought about the extent of the time that had transpired between them. He had changed, intrinsically and extrinsically, in so many ways which was difficult to gage as a general rule what with his changing moods. Loki led the way inside, confused at realizing Drifa wasn't there. He had hoped to match wits and words with her before finding a place to hide Darcy and demanding that the oracle go and see to Brenhin. He furrowed his brow as Darcy went over just how many times Loki's temperament had changed. She snickered inwardly at thinking how feminine that might have seemed to some of her social science classmates. In fact, there probably would've been plenty of menstruation jokes at his expense in that environment. She froze as something else popped into her consciousness. As Loki tried to think of where Drifa could've been, Darcy recounted how long she had been with the trickster, both how long it had been since her abduction and how long it had been since they had made love. Loki shook his head and shrugged, he would just have to wait until she presented herself. He showed Darcy to one of the bed chambers and pointed out that they would be alone until the friend returned which was usually done without any prior warning or intelligent pattern. He stood in front of her as she continued to calculate, staring down at her and trying to discern what it was that had suddenly caught her attention.

"Oh, God," Darcy said softly with a look of terror crossing her face. She looked slowly back up at Loki and breathed deeply, lifting both hands to emphasize her question. "How long have I been with you . . . er, out here, exactly?"

He furrowed his brow at her in confusion and turned to face her more fully. "I don't know," he replied with a frown. "Two months perhaps more. It might have seemed longer to me having been in exile and time does move differently there, but I expect that you've only been . . ."

"More than three weeks, that's what I want to know, has it been more than three weeks?" Darcy interrupted frantically. Loki looked at her with greater concern. "Tell me how long has it been exactly, has it been more than three weeks?" She appeared almost as desperate as he had been when confronting Odin about his past. He hesitated, examining her eyes and breathing more carefully than ever. She began breathing more rapidly and grasped him by either arm as she shouted. "Tell me!"

A chill accompanied by a nauseating sense of déjà vu filled him. He frowned and took a step backwards. "Yes," he replied slowly and carefully. Her expression fell and she suddenly grasped either side of her head, moaning unhappily. Loki stared at her in disbelief. Had she been expecting something? Was she expecting something now? "You never mentioned a need to return on a schedule before," he said cautiously. She leaned against the wall and began to sob a little. Loki's heart sank and the thought that his abduction might have caused some great personal cataclysm for her instantly flashed through his mind and he felt an unusual twinge of guilt after it reached its peak in his thoughts. He moved closer to her and tried to take her hand comfortingly. "Darcy, surely there is nothing that has transpired on earth without your presence that created anything dire. Surely you would've mentioned if you were expecting . . ." She pulled away and walked to the other side of the room, facing away and grasping her head as she began to sob even harder. "Darcy . . ."

"Oh man, this isn't happening," she muttered. She leaned against the wall with her shoulder and Loki was sure she was beginning to sink to the floor. She suddenly let her head drop into both hands as she sat on the floor, sobbing all the harder. "Oh God, I'm not ready for this."

"Darcy, are you ill?" Loki asked kneeling in front of her confusedly. He reached out and placed both hands softly, carefully on her shoulders. She was shaking terribly now and the trickster was beginning to grow frightened of what was troubling her. The fear suddenly sparked a tiny glimmer of anger. She was being terribly impertinent in keeping whatever this was from him. He spoke more firmly as he looked down at her. "Darcy, tell me what is troubling you this instant."

"Loki," she began slowly and looked up at him in a combination of terror and suppressed excitement. "I think I'm pregnant."


	48. The Dreaming and The Desperate

Chapter 48: The Dreaming and The Desperate

Loki's expression dropped immediately. "What?"

"I-I-I-I've been here for like more than three weeks and it's been a while since we, well, we were together the first time and I should've had at least one cycle by now and I haven't had one, not a single one," she stammered.

Loki looked from side to side as the fear of what mystery had been troubling his lover faded into sheer horror of what addition was now growing within her instead. _No_, he thought, _she was right the first time, she has to be mistaken_. He looked away, breathing deeply as Darcy sat more upright and took his hands in her own almost pleadingly.

"I mean, I can't really take a pregnancy test here, but I just don't think it's coincidence that I've been here this whole time without any, you know, girl problems." Darcy folded her hands together and squeezed them anxiously.

"No," he said softly and suddenly. Darcy frowned and gazed back at him in confusion. He shook his head. "No, no, no, no."

"No, what?" Darcy asked.

"No, you-you can't be with child. If you were with child you would know, I would know, you don't look any different," he muttered fretfully and stood, staring at nothing in particular as he also spoke to both Darcy and the air around them. "There's been no change, no change at all, I would know."

"Loki there has been a change you just didn't see it. In fact the realization came because we didn't see anything, that's kind of how it works," Darcy countered as she stood slowly, steadying herself against the wall.

He turned back to her and frowned. "No, it's a mistake, you are not with child," he said a little more firmly. "I forbid it."

Darcy gave him a stern look. "You _**forbid**_ it?" she asked, a clear tone of indignation in her words. He looked away, still breathing rapidly. "What do you mean you forbid it? You don't want children? You want to be a king and that means you'll need an heir someday, right? How can you not want children, not even one?"

"I don't want children because I hate them, all of them," he replied angrily. She stared back in disbelief. "They're a nuisance, a constant source of consumption, a steady stream of chaos, and an all around menace to the general peace of any moment." Darcy gave him a slight smirk and shook her head. "They're nothing but trouble and I've never been troubled more than when I find myself anywhere near them." The memory of the four children that saved his life and seemed not only grateful but spirited and intelligent as well crossed his mind, but he quickly shoved it aside. Generalizing made things easier and it was certain to prove his point, after all. "Children hate me and I hate them."

"Oh really?" she asked. "And you want me to believe that those kids on the news were lying when they said you saved them from that demolished building?"

Loki felt a strong shade of pink form over his cheeks as both embarrassment and some slight irritation moved through him. It was difficult to hide such things from humans even half their world away they seemed to have an annoying way of spreading their events like gossip. He snarled furiously as she crossed her arms. "This is some sort of misunderstanding; you cannot be with child and I forbid any future attempts to do so."

Darcy lifted one brow at him in amusement. "Really? You're just going to forbid it and think that's going to be enough?" He looked at her nonplussed and in slight exasperation as if he had expected her to understand the authority in his stern demands. She sighed and shook her head. "Wow, you are so messed up. I hope the baby's not born with a god complex."

"There is no baby! There never will be!" he shouted furiously at her, his eyes beginning to glow red at their center. She frowned at him and backed away a pace. "I have forbidden it and that is final."

"Will you listen to yourself for five seconds? You can't just forbid something and it never happen. You might have magical powers and-and-and immortality with some stamina and strength that's beyond a humans, but you're not going to defy the basic laws of nature. Sex makes babies, we had sex, what part of that don't you get? You can't just undo that, not with all of your powers. So you missed sensing it, so did I. You're not perfect," she stated more firmly than ever before. He scoffed and turned away, shaking his head and feeling a swirl of uncontrollable anxiety gnawing at him. Mortals were frail, but they were also teeming with life more so than any Asgardian. It had long been a source of jesting that no virile Asgardian man could bed a woman of earth without producing six offspring at a time, two if she was infertile or well-aged. He groaned inwardly and muttered that he would have known, that his powers were too great to have missed something so daunting before muttering yet again that he forbade the issue then added that he forbade it as a deity. Darcy frowned and then glared at him. "You are not a god."

He stood more upright and whirled around, glaring at her furiously. "What did you say?"

"You heard me," she retorted. He took three slow, deliberate steps towards her. "You are a lot of things, Loki, but you are not a god."

"How dare you impugn my power and authority," he said, suddenly allowing rage to fill him in place of the confusion and fear. "Apologize, now!"

"For what? You're the one 'forbidding' me to be pregnant and we don't even know if I am or not. You're so screwed up right now I'm surprised you can walk without tripping on your own delusions," she shot back.

"You horrible little girl!" he shouted furiously. The attack on Alfsheim, the revelation from Brenhin, and then this new threat were weighing heaviest against his displacement and homeless state. Darcy glared back, her nostrils flared and a glow of anger tinted by maternal protectiveness haloed her features. Loki felt his stomach churn at recognizing the same anger in her that had often crossed his mother's features when courtesans made remarks about how different and ugly her second born was. Loki stepped towards her, standing over her in a manner that he hoped would assert his station over her as well. He panted as he glared at her and she snarled back. "You may lack the facilities to recognize it, but I am . . ."

"Watch what you say, Loki," Darcy suddenly interjected, raising one finger to point at him. "You might not believe it entirely, but there is only one God and He does not accept challenges. You keep claiming to be His equal and you'll find yourself humbled beyond belief." The trickster fumed a little more, his eyes now glowing fully red as his skin turned a soft shade of blue. The last time he had asserted his deity-hood he had indeed been tossed around like a rag doll at the hands of the Hulk, not something he had ever wanted to endure again. He had never quite attributed it to anything higher, but then he had always dismissed the notion that the Aesir were demi-gods and that the great creator was above anything that Asgard could produce. Darcy sighed and looked at him as tears began to form again in her eyes. "Let me try this again; I think I am pregnant." Loki began to protest, but found that Darcy was able to raise her voice above his and command a certain presence that told him it would be safest to keep silent for the next few moments. "Seeing as you were the only man I have ever been with, if I am pregnant then the baby has to be yours." He stepped away, frowning and realizing that even if she wasn't with child, which he now had practically accepted as full truth, then she was assuming the state before motherhood entirely. "Now, is there a doctor or a midwife or something that I can talk to and see what is happening with me?"

"No," he said flatly.

"No, you don't have doctors or midwives?" she asked in confusion. "Then what was that room full of people that were healing us when you took me the first time?"

"No, you are not with child," he said firmly and slowly. She sighed and shook her head, looking down. "I do not know what has caused this idea and the insolence with it to come upon you, but I don't like it."

"Yeah, well, I'm the one who has to live with the hard part if you're wrong," she quipped back. He growled a little and turned away once more. Darcy frowned and glanced out the window as the sun set over the Asgardian sky. "This isn't who I thought you were. I had hoped, I mean . . ." she stammered. He turned back to her, still infuriated though more quiet now. She shook her head and walked towards the second bed chamber. "Never mind."

"This will all be clearer and calmed in the morning," he said as she walked away. "Until then I suggest you rest and gather whatever strength or stability that has eluded you and created this nonsense."

Darcy whirled around in the doorway as he approached. He froze, expecting a thorough and well-formed tongue lashing from the young woman that he had abducted, tormented, taken, and now quite possibly impregnated. He winced inwardly, but stared back with a steely unyielding anger. A tear rolled down her cheek as she stared back and her full, red lips began to tremble as another strong wave of sobs took her. Another unusual and quite powerful wave of guilt washed over him and he started forward. Before he could speak or reach for her she slammed the door shut and turned the handle backwards, locking it in place. Loki reached down and tried to turn it, growling as he felt the pins and gears in place to keep it still. He instinctively began to draw energy around the lock and move the pins and gears with heated intensity. His conscience moved forward and placed its metaphysical hand over his gifts preventing the trickster from unlocking the handle any further. He sighed as the conscience silently shook its invisible head offering no chastisement further than a saddened sigh as it disappeared.

He leaned against the door and knocked softly. "Darcy, please let me speak to you," he said softly. "Please, Darcy, I'm done shouting."

"Go away," Darcy sobbed from the other side of the door. His heart ached at this and he reached for the handle again. An unexplainable inner voice reminded him that forcing entry would just make things worse. The voice sounded suspiciously like Brenhin, but that was just silly. The trickster sighed and tried the handle once more. "Go away! Leave me alone!"

"Darcy, please," he begged, sincere and somewhat chastened by the sorrow he had brought to her.

Darcy stood, furiously wiping tears away. "I said, go away, Loki!" she shouted more loudly. She slammed both hands against the door for emphasis. "_**Now**_!"

The trickster stepped away from the door, shocked and truly hurt that the one creature he had grown fond of was so expressly angry with him. More importantly, he had once again been the cause of tears in another being, something that was beginning to claw at him inwardly. He sighed and slipped into the other bedchamber, striding over to the window and placing both hands on the open sill. He looked out into the darkening sky mirroring the sorrow and heavy guilt that was now cloaking his proud soul. He fought the urge to cry and turned back to the bed, sitting and letting his head fall into both hands as he tried to think of the best way to undo his latest infraction. Exhaustion was too great at the moment and he soon found himself lying back and closing his eyes, promising to wake after only a few moments. From the shadows now forming in the corner of the room, a small pale figure emerged and grinned brightly. The trickster had great power, but Drifa knew that her powers exceeded his own in many ways at least for the time being. She smiled and climbed onto the bed, looking down at the peaceful Asgardian as he slept. She reached down and touched the side of his face gently, pleased with how quickly he had responded to her silent command to sleep. Without any further crystals to spare, she had to find a more suitable means to corner him and guide his thoughts. Dreams were a suitable means for any sorcerer and she knew that of all the things he had cast aside and become, Loki was nothing if not a dreamer.

(*)

While Loki fell fast asleep, Volstagg tried desperately to excuse his need to go out to Drifa's dwelling to the guards who had been ordered by the All-father to prevent anyone, including the prince Thor, from leaving the palace without his express permission. Odin had contemplated the notion that his adopted son might have been eliciting the unwitting help of any of his former friends and the easiest way to track that would be to see which of them attempted to leave. Unfortunately, as was the recent way of Odin's plans, all that happened was an argument between the guards and Volstagg who had openly been instructed by Frigga to find him. Even if Loki had been using the older warrior, there was less of a chance of finding him when he knew that Volstagg answered directly to Frigga as well.

The sky grew darker and Darcy sat awake in her bedchamber, still gazing out at the sky through the window. She had calmed down enough to stop crying for a short time and sat peacefully, contemplating everything that had happened. She couldn't afford to think too much about the negatives and become overwhelmed again, but she needed to find a way to get this fixed once and for all. Thor was here and while he and Loki didn't seem to get along at all, being reunited with stronger relatives when such a powerful enemy was after them was clearly the best course of action. Brenhin had said this and it wasn't often that the servant had been wrong about anything. She stood slowly, determined to reason with him that she demanded they do as the servant had said, and made her way to the first bedchamber. She glanced inside, noting that her beloved had fallen asleep, likely exhausted after such a trying day. She frowned and leaned against the facing. It occurred to her that she could head off to the palace on her own, but would it be safe?

"I can get you there safely," Drifa offered. Darcy jumped at the sound of her voice, but relaxed when she recognized the form of the little girl oracle that had confronted them in Nifleheim. Drifa smiled kindly. "It would be easier to handle this without his input, you know. If you can speak with his brother or his father and convince them to deal gently with him, he will return as meekly as a lamb."

"I really don't see anything about him being meek," Darcy replied softly, glancing at her beloved with a sigh. "Still, he won't be able to say no if they come and actually get him. Maybe that's what he needs."

"Yes, that would be best," Drifa replied with a kind smile. "For all of you." Darcy glanced back at her inquisitively. The girl had strange powers, stranger and deeper than Loki's. Could she know if there was a child in their future? Drifa grinned and reached forward, placing a hand gently over Darcy's womb. "Yes, for all of you."

Darcy grinned and fought back tears again. She breathed deeply. He could be retrieved by his family and made to accept their protection, but she couldn't make him want or care for a child. She shook her head, there were other things to think about now. "You can help me get to the palace?" she asked, pushing aside the thought of dealing with another emotional outburst.

"Of course, anywhere in the palace," Drifa said proudly.

"Good, I need to know where Thor is, he's the best person to talk to," Darcy said with a sigh of relief. Drifa lifted one brow both inquisitively and in amusement. Darcy hesitated and then another thought came to her. The father of Thor and Loki had cast out Thor for pride and selfishness; even if she convinced Thor to forgive his brother it may not be enough to convince their father if he was angry enough. No, she had to go straight to the source of any potential snafus. She had to speak to Odin herself. "Wait, no. I think I need to speak to the king, to their father."

"Odin still wanders the halls of the palace, he will be eager to hear from the mortal his son abducted, I am sure," Drifa replied with a grin. Darcy nodded and straightened herself, donning a more serious expression. "But, remember that the All-father is obligated above all citizens to uphold his laws. Loki has transgressed in many ways that even his brother and his friends did not know about. You will need cunning to convince him to look past any sins on Asgard or Earth."

"Hey I was part of debate club, I can argue without raising a sweat or asking questions," Darcy replied proudly. Drifa nodded and then slowly closed her eyes. Darcy took one last look at where Loki still lay asleep before the room around her spun furiously once and then filled with light. The light was dim, but was more than what had lit the small dwelling on the outer rim. The gold of the hallways reflected the dim light making it seem brighter than it truly was. Darcy gasped as she realized she was now standing in an enormous hallway with ceilings as tall as an average skyscraper. She darted to one side and stood against the wall as she saw a figure in the distance. Down the hallway, walking away from her, she saw the same form that Loki had taken to scare away Eldred. Odin was not adorned in full armor at the moment, but his face and shape were unmistakable. Darcy drew in a deep breath and tried to remember the basics of the small optional course she had taken in international protocol when meeting with dignitaries and royalty. She had to address him properly and as a king it needed to be your majesty or was it your royal highness?

"I should've taken better notes," she muttered to herself as she slowly approached him. Her heart began thundering as she made her way towards him, stopping a few feet away. He hadn't sensed her presence yet, but she was sure that he would do so any moment. The sound of her own heart was loud enough to echo against the gold walls, she was sure of it. She centered, reminding herself that letting her pulse and pressure get too high was bad for the baby. She shuddered at that thought and all it implied, but then a sudden calm moved through her. That was the ace in the hole; that was something she could keep up her sleeve if the king argued with her . . . she was carrying his grandchild. She drew in a deep breath and moved more fully into the center of the hallway a few feet away from him, finding the courage to stand without trembling. "Your Majesty?"

He stopped moving and turned slowly to face her. Darcy noted that even the string-less patch over his eye had been mimicked perfectly by Loki. She hid a smile and bowed her head, knowing that she might not be able to stand if she knelt completely right now. He looked her over confusedly as he took a few steps towards her, recognizing almost at once that she was not Asgardian. She cleared her throat as he spoke. "Tell me your name, child, and what business brings you so close to Valhalla when you are clearly not of this realm?"

"I, uh," she stammered, breaking two of the rules she had made for herself in her debating and speaking. He folded his arms behind him neatly as she folded hers in front. "I came to speak to you about your son, Your Majesty."

"Did you, now?" he asked with a laugh. "I suppose you are one of many mortals entranced by him. I can assure you that his heart belongs to another, though I hardly think any mortal has any place at his side."

"What?" Darcy asked in confusion. Sif wasn't a mortal and Loki had no connections to anyone else . . . did he?

"I believe her name is Jane and he is quite attached to her," Odin continued. Darcy let out a sigh of relief and put a hand over her chest. "No doubt you will want to return home as quickly as possible."

"Actually, Your Majesty, I think Thor is a great guy and all, but he's not the one I'm here about," she explained. Odin stood more upright and looked at her with greater interest. "In fact, I came to see if you would be willing to send someone to retrieve him and promise not to do anything harsh to him."

"You desire Loki?" he asked, amazed firstly that a mortal would've come this far just to seek out the trickster and secondly that they would be as bold as to ask for something so outlandish. "And you want me to promise what exactly?"

"Well, it's just that with everything he's done, I'm well aware that you're probably going to want to, you know, punish him or something," Darcy said, unable to hide the anxiousness that she had tried so hard to hide and suppress. Odin felt too powerful, too ancient to be completely calm around. It was in the nature of mortals to fear the ancient until it had given them reason not to and so far Odin had not shown Darcy that he was anything less than as intimidating as the massive palace. "And, that's really why he won't come back, he's embarrassed and afraid even though we're being pursued and threatened."

"Pursued? Threatened?" Odin said more loudly, concern definitely behind the louder tone. She nodded quickly. He sighed and shook his head. "Thor told me of his exploits on Midgard and their ties to Thanos, but I had no idea he was pursuing. That is most troubling."

Darcy contemplated correcting him, but instead bit her lip and nodded anxiously. She and Loki could always set any misunderstandings aright once he was safely in the palace. "Yeah, it's very troubling." Darcy moved a step closer, feeling oddly empowered after the falsehoods. She placed a hand defensively over her midsection, wondering if the trickster would be more inclined to act rationally and put aside any hatred for his own offspring if she presented the issue to his parents with him present. Their reaction would be overjoyed; all grandparents received the news well in her experience at least in royal families. He turned and gave her a cautious side glance. "Your Majesty, there isn't much time to retrieve him while he's not expecting it."

Odin narrowed his eyes at the young woman for a moment. She seemed to be more than earnest about this and the thought of having the family finally reunited even if it meant pushing protocol aside was a refreshing one. He watched her expression and noted the slight trembling in her features and the gleam in her eyes as she explained the idea twice at odd speeds, obviously anxious to have come and approached him alone. He grinned. No, there was no pretense in the youth's eyes and she looked as innocent and frightened as he had expected a mortal that had been in Loki's presence to seem. What Odin did not expect was the pleading with ardent trust that the girl seemed to have for his son. He sighed heavily and moved several paces toward her.

"There are few times that I will allow the rules of nature to bend in the name of even true love," Odin said softly. Darcy's expression fell and she allowed her hands to fall lifelessly to her sides. The All-Father smiled wistfully at the sight of such tenderness. This wasn't only a good opportunity to bring the trickster home, but it would impress Frigga beyond any act he could perform on his own. "But if you and my son are indeed under threat of death, both of you will have protection here with the rest of the family."

Her eyes lit up and he smiled brightly. Darcy hadn't felt this kind of full relief after such a chaotic pulse since she and Loki had last been intimate. Odin also seemed genuinely happy and as though some old desire had been fulfilled at long last. She suddenly wrapped her arms tightly around him and he did the same, still feeling that all of this was surreal and wondering how long it would take to awaken from this dream. The cold of the enormous halls had been surpassed for the moment by the warmth passing between them. Odin looked down at her as she released him and stepped backwards awkwardly and felt a wave of relief wash over him. Frigga would be soothed, Thor was already home and behaving more solemn, and now Loki would soon be home and somewhat subdued by this human woman. As Darcy bowed slightly to the All-Father, Odin noted the strange mark on her left hand. He narrowed his eyes and moved forward seizing her by the wrist firmly and turning her hand until her palm faced him. He stared at the symbol etched magically on it. Darcy shifted uncomfortably and groaned, looking back at him in concern. Darcy shifted again and tried to pull free instinctively. Odin frowned. "Stay where you are, child," he commanded. There was no cruelty in his tone at the moment, but the old man's voice told her that any further movement was a direct violation of any trust. He examined the mark for a few seconds more as a twinge of anger and confusion surged through him. He slowly looked up into Darcy's eyes. "Where did you get this?"

Darcy bit her lip and looked away for a moment. Odin tightened his grip on her hand forcing a small squeak from her. "I-I-I accidentally touched something magical," she admitted in a half truth she hoped would satisfy the immortal. He seemed more concerned about this than Brenhin had been and certainly more than Loki had been. "The mark just showed up when I touched it. Nothing else happened."

"What was it, what did you take hold of?" Odin demanded more loudly.

"I-I don't remember," she lied, beginning to tremble.

"Think back, then," he said in a warning tone. Darcy stammered uncomfortably for a moment, glancing back and forth timidly. She and Loki had agreed to keep his apprenticeship and the mark a secret should they return to his home in order to make sure he could deal with Eldred later. Odin frowned at her silence, sensing the trickster lying through the girl. He growled a little and pulled harshly on her wrist. "What did you take hold of?"

"A-a ball, a crystal ball or something!" she suddenly exclaimed. This was not going to end well unless she was entirely honest. "I think it was the Norn Queen's Eye."

"The Norn Queen's Eye? How in the sacred branches of all Yggdrasil did you find that?" Odin demanded hotly. He snarled at her and pulled harshly at her wrist once more. "How did you find the orb?"

"Ow!" she exclaimed. "Master Eldred needed it, we had to go get it in order to make him stop trying to kill me; that didn't work, but he was getting weird then!"

"Master Eldred?" Odin yelled. He held tightly to the girl's wrist and looked harshly at her. "What were you doing with Eldred? How long had either of you spent near him?"

Odin frowned. He remembered when it had been revealed to him that his son had already surpassed many of his instructors in his studies. Frigga had begged that they apprentice him to Drifa, but Odin had believed that Loki would do best trying to train alongside Thor at that age. He had been convinced that he had committed some unforgiveable sin and been sentenced to purgatory during those next few years, but Eldred's training had made the jeering and hate more bearable. Odin's grip softened and he felt a larger wave of relief slam into him. If Loki had been under the tutelage of Eldred then that is what had prompted the wickedry and continued mischief that had escalated beyond playful into malicious. He sighed and shook his head as he looked back at her sadly.

"You are a walking source of dark energy in a potent symbol vulnerable to anyone close enough to see your hand," Odin stated, glaring down at the symbol and then looking back at the girl with a small measure of pity. "Loki must go back and retrieve the orb or you will be a target for any sorcerer or demon."

"He can't go back until we can be sure that Eldred doesn't suspect his return, or mine," she argued. Odin narrowed his eyes at her. "He says it would mean my death."

"Then you are dead," Odin shouted sternly. She cringed as the All-Father's words resounded through the chamber, now overwhelmed by the danger she faced in both Eldred's wake and the king's presence. He sighed and shook his head. "If he needs assistance then he should take his brother and the warriors three, but he will go back now before Eldred has a chance to amass some malignant spell to retrieve this."

"He can handle this without Thor and so can I if you'll just let him come back and explain things," Darcy countered angrily. "I'll just go back and tell him that we should . . ."

"No!" Odin shouted, pulling the girl back. She gasped and stared at the immortal in terror. The All-Father was infuriated, but relieved that his son's actions were prompted by the vengeance of Eldred; he was livid, but still comforted to think that the boy's magic was strong enough to face off against the old weasel. Still, Odin also felt that the only way to make sure that the precocious youth did as he was told when he was told to do it was to assert his own authority in the face of Eldred's fall in the boy's mind. Even from the distance between them, Odin could hear the youth's heart racing furiously at her beloved being separated from her now and even at a distance he could hear the faint traces of Loki's heart racing as well. This was an acceptable means of control and asserting authority; once he was on his way, Odin could go and share the news of the boy's return with Frigga and they could all wait for his return when the family would be whole once more. Odin called for two guards who approached hurriedly and bowed. He looked sternly into Darcy's eyes. "You bear a marking that can be used by any powerful sorcerer and with your life-force behind it that makes it all the more powerful. Not only could you die, but the entire realm, all of the realms hidden and otherwise could be destroyed by this kind of magic."

"But I . . . " Darcy continued. Odin turned gave her a firm look that went beyond the firm expression he had displayed during Thor's banishment. The girl frowned and looked back and forth between the guards and the immortal. Whatever the old man was thinking, it couldn't be good. "Please, just let me go and tell him what you've told me; the guards are unnecessary."

"I will be the judge of what is necessary and where you will go. Until he returns from the task I have spoken of you will stay safely with all of the other relics," Odin corrected. Her eyes widened in horror. She didn't know everything about the realm, but from the brief stories that both Brenhin and Loki had told her, she knew that the relics were kept in a vault like an armory. That was not a pleasant place to peruse let alone be told to stay in. Odin turned to the guards and gestured to Darcy. "Take her to the vault and seal her with the rest of the Norn relics."

"What?" Darcy shrieked. "No!"

The guards nodded to their king and took hold of Darcy who was still in shock at the king's command. His temper had shifted as violently and instantaneously as his son's had in times past. At least he hadn't sentenced them both to imprisonment or something worse. She began to protest verbally as they reached the doorway and made their way down another hall. Too stunned to fight physically with the guards as they led her toward the vault itself, Darcy tried to think of what she could possibly do next. Meanwhile, Loki's mind filled with fantastic images and Drifa stood ready to guide each and every one. While Darcy would give a perfect focus for desperate cries, Loki would see in dreams exactly what would happen if all of his plans came to fruition . . . all of them.


	49. Made of These

_(((Gotta love the dream and nightmare sequences, especially when you can add humor, foreshadowing, and enough metaphors to feed a village of starving artists for a year! I personally would like to see more of the conflict between Loki and Black Widow. I think perhaps with everything that happened between him and Sif he ended up with woman issues and it looked both painfully irritating and absolutely delightful for him to go wit to wit against a powerful human woman . . . it made him furious in the hottest way possible!)))_

Chapter 49: Made of These

Loki felt the odd sensation of a powerful dream forming around him, not one of his own making at that. At least, it felt for the moment like he was detached from his own mind and seeing the images of another's creating. He narrowed his gaze in the dream state and allowed himself to feel where all of his respective limbs were, gauging whether or not he could move as freely in this dream as he had been able to do in others. To his relief, he not only had all of the necessary components to move and act as freely as he did in waking hours, but he seemed to have even greater strength than before. He grinned and watched as the strangest of sights filled his horizon. He stood looking into the green oasis that was surrounded by the steel and cement of what he had heard called Manhattan Island. His brother had tried to force him back home from here and to be standing so liberated was more than satisfying. He felt his armor, glimmering gold and heavy with magnificence, form around him. His hand formed around the hilt of something solid and cold and made itself known in his hand. he looked down and marveled as Gungnir extended from a simple glow, forming completely in his hand and touching the ground with its hilt, reaching almost his height and filling him with youthful pride.

Several people were gathered just as they had been at his departing, average citizens at play or work now turning to face him. He felt pride swell within him as the people who turned to face him grew closer slowly and a look of pure awe and adoration manifested thoroughly on their features. Men, women, the well-aged, and children all began to gather over the green and cement. The crowd contained all manner of humans, many colours and shapes and from what he could tell, all of their labeled classes. Even a few of the uniformed safety officials had gathered and none reached for their weapons as they watched him. A hushed murmur with audible praise for his many worthy attributes moved through the growing crowd. Loki looked out over the group and grinned, this was exactly what he had hoped to have on Midgard. He took a step forward and the crowd smiled lovingly at him now having grown to the hundreds, possibly more judging by the size and sound of them. He raised both arms, grinning brightly.

"Kneel before me," he said, though in a somewhat gentler and more amicable tone than he had done in Stuttgart. The crowd instantly, fluidly, knelt and seemed to sigh with contentment as they did so. A warm, satisfying sense of triumph filled him and he stepped forward. "My people . . ." he announced smoothly. "Is this not the peace I promised you? Is this not a better state in which to find yourselves?" He moved forward, walking slowly into the crowd whose eyes now followed him, looking up and admiring everything about him, every superior aspect of their new king. Each breath he now took seemed golden and wonderful. This was everything he had wanted on Earth and Asgard as well. He noticed a particularly old man, older and more frail than the one that had defied him. He gently placed a hand on the man's shoulder and the human seemed to respond with sheer reverence. "Obedience is easily and wonderfully rewarded, always. All of you are on this planet to live, to die in servitude of something greater, something better than yourselves." He patted the old man's shoulder affectionately and then moved forward again noting that the crowd had grown even larger and seemed to have grown eerily silent. He now noticed the familiar face of Londra and her brother, the two children that had needed to be rescued from the demolished building. The two stared up at him as if he was their father and the notion pleased him; to be worshipped by the young and old. He placed a hand gently on the side of the girl's face with condescending kindness. "You are all but children and now you will have someone capable to look after you," he said tenderly. He patted the boy's head with the same haughty fondness. "You can live and die truly happy, at real peace knowing that you are all of you lovingly, wholly, governed."

"Hail King Loki!" one of the uniformed officials suddenly shouted, clenching a hand into a fist and pressing it firmly against his left breast. "Long live the king!"

The trickster basked in the truly glorious admiration, beaming with a grand smile as he looked out over the crowd and noted that not a single human, not one stood and opposed him. This unity, this fantastic absence of the madness of freedom's illusion in mankind was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen before. As he turned and looked out over the rest of the crowd he saw an even more satisfying display. The troop of heroes, the mightiest force on earth, knelt as well with the same gaze of adulation aimed in his direction. The proud Stark, the valiant Rogers, and even the cunning Romanoff saluted him just as the rest of the humans with the same subjugated esteem. This was more gratifying than having seen his brother's expression when he had taken a human captive. It suddenly occurred to him that Darcy was nowhere in sight. The ecstasy of being worshipped suddenly left him. He turned from side to side quickly, scanning every available inch of the crowd and the city around him for his beloved. His heart began to quiver with anxiety at the thought of being without her.

"Loki," Darcy said from a distance behind him. He turned quickly, seeing the beautiful young woman he had grown to love clad in flowing white robes not unlike the lovely garb he had seen his mother in on several occasions. To his surprise, she stood on the massive golden steps of Asgard's palace, a beacon of familiar grace in the midst of the humbled city. It seemed to have appeared as instantaneously as Darcy had done. He grinned and moved smoothly towards her. Her expression was blank, nothing he could discern at the moment and certainly not the love that the crowd was displaying. It confused him that the young woman he knew had the deepest of affection for him wasn't even showing a glimmer of tenderness for him. He suddenly realized that as she had been standing there, as he had moved forward, her belly had suddenly swollen. He froze and watched her glance down at the growing protuberance sadly. She looked back up at him, the same pained expression and single tear that he had last seen on her as the door to her bedchamber had closed. The familiarity of the sight chilled him and he felt his armor fade, even the impressive plating and leather that guarded him in his most basic attire faded and he moved to take hold of her clad only in the simplest of royal clothing. She whimpered unhappily as he took both her hands in his and looked deeply into her eyes. "I thought you were different, I had hoped . . ." she muttered, her features trembling just as he had remembered them. He squeezed her hands more tightly. "You're complete now, you don't need me."

"Oh, Darcy, there is nothing that could make me complete if you are not beside me," he said firmly, almost pleadingly. "Whatever happens between us I can always return things back to the right path, to my vision."

Darcy looked up at him slowly, and her gaze shifted to pure anger. He looked back in surprise as she began to growl at him, her eyes glowing a more vibrant emerald than ever before. He opened his mouth, meaning to speak, to ask her what was wrong, but he couldn't find the words or his own voice at the moment. "Your vision," she whispered harshly. She growled more loudly and he suddenly felt her fingers clench around his hands like iron bars, painfully wrenching the bones and flesh too close together for affection. He cried out in surprise and stared at her in shock. "Your vision is flawed, trickster."

"Darcy, what's come over you?" he asked, horrified at the unmatched disdain that seemed to have overtaken her delicate features. She roared at him causing the trickster to shout in surprise and stumble backwards up a few of the stairs. He looked up at her as she stood over him, petrified at this horrific vision. Darcy's roar faded into a painful wail and she gripped the bulge at her midsection. She slowly knelt, still letting out one long, agonizing cry. He scrambled backwards and found the presence to stand, panting and trying to think of what to do next. He glanced from side to side as Darcy began to crawl up the steps towards him. To his horror, behind her was a stream gushing bright red.

Nausea struck him and he covered his mouth, trembling for a moment. The coward in him hurried even further back, but no matter how quickly he moved and no matter how far he got away, Darcy seemed to remain the same dangerous distance from him, still wailing and still clutching the growing ventral lump while blood coursed endlessly behind her. He wasn't sure what compelled him to do so, but he hurried into the palace, following a familiar path, and made his way into the throne room. Stumbling and having to craw every few steps, he made his way up the two sets of golden stairs and onto the ornate throne of the All-Father. Darcy continued to follow his movements, now finishing with the last stair and coming closer to the throne as she screamed and bled. "Darcy, what is this? What is happening?" he shouted frantically. She continued to scream and crawl, not making eye contact any longer and still swelling with each moment though not overwhelmed. He gasped as a strange noise came out of nowhere, a hissing and a nearby 'thump'. Suddenly, he found himself and the throne sealed inside the massive glass cage. He shrieked and hurried to the glass wall nearest to Darcy, still kneeling with cries of pain and crimson life flowing freely from her. "Darcy!" he called frantically. "Darcy, help me!"

The wailing suddenly ceased and Darcy remained still. He froze and watched in tremulous anticipation. She drew in a deep breath and growled once more. "Help you," she snarled. She slowly looked up at him, her eyes still glowing unnaturally green and now her face hollowed and ashen from weakness and loss. She raised herself to stand and slammed both palms against the glass where he stood. He jumped backwards, recoiling in terror as she sneered at him. "Help you? You selfish puppet!" Inwardly, Loki suddenly came into a more stable mindset and he filled with genuine concern for his lover; he was appalled that he had done anything but rush to her aide when she had first cried out. _What could you have been thinking_, he chastised silently. Darcy shouted angrily again. "I have helped you!" she roared. He cringed and tried to form words that would accurately and appropriately make amends. Nothing came to him but another wave of nausea as he suddenly noticed that the blood flowing from behind her had begun to billow up through the wide sleeves on her robes, coursing out past her wrists and oddly through the glass. The red stream dripped through no obvious opening and formed a gorey pool on the floor right at the glass itself. It was growing larger by the second. "You don't deserve this," she hissed and something within him told him that she had meant he didn't deserve the palace or the throne. His breath caught in his throat and he felt absolutely paralyzed. "You don't deserve _**ME**_!"

"So has real power thought about getting a subscription to _**Time**_?" the voice of Nick Fury announced. Loki spun around and saw the one-eyed administrator casually holding up an issue of one of the Earth's popular modes of spreading weighted opinions. On the cover was the smiling and gold-clad image of the trickster with the title, '_The Meaning of Real Power_'. The trickster narrowed his eyes at it for a moment as Fury opened the cover and glanced inside, smiling. "It says here you don't support public assistance for the weak and insubordinate."

Loki turned hurriedly back to Darcy and gasped as he noticed the pool of blood was now so large that it practically reached him in the center at the throne. He climbed onto the gold seat, standing like a frightened schoolgirl escaping a mouse. He looked at Darcy, still terrified of the image. Her pale and sunken features now seemed desperate and frail as she began to sink to the floor. "I'll never be right again," she cried. "This is all your fault!"

"Darcy, I need you . . . I love you," he pleaded moving to step off and away from the throne. He gasped as the blood formed more than a pool, filling the glass cage and rising around the throne itself. He cried out as it slowly began to creep up the sides of the golden throne, menacingly making its way towards him. "No!"

"No? Well, then what about _**People**_?" Fury's voice offered just as casually. Instinctively Loki turned and noted the man was now reading a volume of another flimsy tome with a more friendly picture of himself on the cover reading '_Born to Rule, Live to Party_'. Loki shrieked as the blood moved a fraction of an inch closer and Darcy suddenly collapsed. Too frightened of climbing into the vermillion tide, he simply reached out towards her and cried out. "Hey, it says here you're a Scorpio."

"9 out of 10 Americans think you're good for their image," the voice of Romanoff added. Loki turned frantically and noticed the calm figure of the agent leaning against the golden railing formed around the strange incasing. She flipped through the pages of a similar publication, lifting a brow and looking at him inquisitively. "Did you really break up with Katy Perry?"

"No, I heard she called it off to keep her career," Fury corrected. The two turned to one another and began arguing while the trickster's mind raced desperately.

"Help, someone, one of you, help!" Loki cried. He watched in frustration as Romanoff and Fury continued to argue as casually as if they were in their own homes. He suddenly noticed that they were joined by the figures of several of the other familiar S.H.I.E.L.D. agents and heroes, all carrying one of the flimsy books with various pictures of himself on it and all bickering among themselves about some ridiculous notion they had read. He looked down and saw that the blood was barely an inch away from reaching the edge of the seat. Turning, he saw Darcy growing more pale and still as she slunk fully to the floor. Panic filled him and he turned back to the image of Fury, pleading. "Someone do something, she's dying! Can't you see she's dying? Do something!"

"I don't know, I think it might not be such a good idea to start this season off wearing the same armor from last month," Romanoff added shaking her head with disappointment. "People want what looks good."

"Help! Stop your chatter and help me!" he screamed frantically as the blood finally made its way up onto the seat where he stood. He retched inwardly at the sight and smell of the putrid liquid, the substance he knew here had cost him the life of his precious Darcy. He screamed and watched in astonishment as several streams of red fluid shot into the air like sentient tendrils and then raced towards him. Too shocked to fight what was transpiring and trapped by disgusted terror, the trickster watched helplessly as the red pillars formed themselves into the same shackles that had been placed on him following his defeat on earth. As the sanguineous bands flew towards him, the rest of the blood began to recede through the same odd place in the glass, but did not go back into its normal host. He felt the red, hot fluid form solid bands around his wrists and he instantly tried to pull free of them, scratching ineffectually at the solid trappings. He noticed that the blood had receded from the floor within the cage allowing him to stand and move on the floor once again, though still sickened by everything that had filled the moment and the enclosure. He hurried over to the panel in front of Darcy's limp and pallid form. He knelt, still trying to pry the shackles off of his wrists as well as clawing madly at the glass between them. He had never felt more desperate, more terrified, more overwhelmingly burdened before. He turned back to the images of the impassive humans, still glancing over the printed drivel and arguing back and forth about what was and wasn't fact and fashionable. With one last feeble breath, Darcy ceased moving and Loki knew instantly that she was sincerely dead and beyond any healing. He screamed and slammed both fists furiously at the glass, wailing inconsolably. "Darcy, no!"

"Wow, you've been nominated three times for the anti-humanitarian of the year medal?" Fury asked in surprise. Loki turned heatedly towards the man, eyes brighter red than the blood that bound him. He stood and threw himself harshly at the panel of glass in front of the man on the opposite side of the cage. "It must be exhausting to have all that negative attention."

"Caitiffs!" he shouted, clawing and straining against the shackles while slamming both fists into the glass walls yet again. "Cowards, charlatans all of you!"

"Uh, oh," Romanoff said with a heavy sigh. Loki watched as she turned to her employer with ever so slight discontent. "I don't think I can respect anyone that hates children."

The trickster's heart sank at those words and rage fueled by the deepest piercing tragedy continued to fill him. As he repeatedly thrashed the glass before him, the glass suddenly began to crack. A small measure of satisfaction met him and he began clawing and pounding against it all the more. Fury shook his head and walked slowly over to the control panel, lined with gold as it appeared in the odd throne room to the side of the strange vessel.

"Oh well, I guess real power is overrated," he said with a shrug. Loki's eyes widened in horror as he saw the man typing in a familiar set of codes on the panel. He shrieked and protested only to suddenly feel the same burning, sanguineous material at his wrists fasten itself over his mouth. He relinquished the battle with the glass and reached up to the new muzzle secured over him. He cried out and breathed as best he could while tugging and wrenching the unmoving pseudo-metal on his face. He fought madly with the device, unaware that Fury had finished all but one sequence on the panel. He glanced over at the man in time for the grinning director to wave. "I guess this is goodbye."

Loki felt the floor underneath him lurch and then the world around him spin uncontrollably. Between the panic he had in being bound unreasonably and the terrifying knowledge that he was falling in the steel trap, the trickster felt his mind go numb. This was too much to handle; the thought of being oppressed, the thought of dying, the thought of losing Darcy. A firm grasp formed around his heart and yanked it downward then up, causing him to retch again and curse every selfish demand he had made. He rued every moment of pleasure he had enjoyed standing in the crowd instead of turning to look for his beloved. The ground grew closer, he could feel it through the tumultuous fall of the cage. Tears formed in his eyes and he readied for the impact, there was nothing that mattered now. Even the promise of death's sweet silence were not comfort enough for the loss he now felt. Vigor and esteem fell away from him completely as he felt the ground drawing near. Nothing mattered now, nothing.

**BOOOOM!**

Loki sat bolt upright, breathing heavily and glistening with perspiration. He stayed completely frozen for a moment, not wanting to move and chance finding any truth to the horrors he had just witnessed. The reality that he had just been dreaming and that the nightmare had passed came upon him, but fear gripped him too greatly at the moment to dare tempt fate until he gathered more strength and breath. He shuddered in the cold of the night as he came more and more to his senses. What a truly horrific nightmare, nothing could have made that worse. He grasped his head and leaned forward, fighting the urge to both vomit and weep. Instead, the thought came to him that he had left Darcy in the other room. He threw aside the bedclothes and dressed, hurrying to the door of her chamber and gasped as he realized the door was open. He raced inside and felt his heart drop into his already unsettled stomach as he saw that she was gone and had likely been so for some time now. He dropped to his knees and leaned against the bedside, groaning and panting heavily. He was overreacting. She was gone, not dead; he was covered in sweat, not blood. The dream was passed and it should be forgotten.

As he climbed slowly back to his feet and drew in a deep breath, centering himself and forcing the memory of the dream as far aside as he could, he thought about where she must have gone. He closed his eyes and relaxed his pulse, allowing his superior senses to drift around the room and take in everything she might have left behind in thought or feeling. This was difficult enough to accomplish when at his peak, but he knew it was the only answer at the moment and if concentrated enough he would be able to follow her in no time. As his senses came to rest on one particular thread of energy clearly attached to her, he filled with relief and joy. The affirmation that she was alive was enough to sustain him for days. Before he could reconnect his senses to the strand, a loud knocking at the front door interrupted him. He growled and frowned. He had almost forgotten about his promise to Volstagg. He turned and made his way towards the door, determined to not only find Darcy quickly but to enlist the help of the oldest warrior on Asgard . . . with or without his genuine consent.


	50. The Real Problem and Drifa's Offer

Chapter 50: The Real Problem and Drifa's Offer

In a matter of five seconds, Loki had determined what he would say to the warrior, how he would say it, and exactly what the next few steps to take would be. He grasped the handle on the front door, as determined as ever, and pulled it back towards him firmly. His firm expression faded almost instantly at the sight that met him. With Volstagg still detained at the palace, unknown to the trickster, of course, another relative stood on the doorstep looking oddly injured in some emotional way. Drifa's features, pale and platinum, contrasted the dark night sky well. She looked up at him and returned the frown that had turned instantly into a scowl on the sorcerer's face.

"The sheer irony of this being my home loses any humor with you being the one to open the door. Why aren't you at the palace after that dream? Why aren't you retrieving Darcy?" she demanded as she moved past him, slipping by with the greatest of ease thanks to her size and slight shape.

"I knew you had a hand in the dreadful nightmare it practically flashed your gruesome signature with each passing moment," he retorted. The indignation in him fizzled away as it occurred to him that she had mentioned retrieving his beloved. "You know where Darcy went?"

"Of course I do, I sent her to speak to Odin after she settled emotionally from your last assault," Drifa replied, climbing onto a chair and resting her head against the back with a sigh. "I'm exhausted, you know, I haven't hopped from place to place and tried to use my own gifts in the mind of another sorcerer in ages."

"You sent her to the All-Father?" Loki exclaimed. Fear gripped him partially out of a concern for his own safety and freedom and then more out of concern for Darcy's; if the old man discovered the mark on her hand, its origin, and that she was with child by one of his household, he could only imagine the hostility that would ensue. Loki grasped his head and began breathing sharply. This was more complicated and risky than he had anticipated. But where was she at the moment? What had transpired between the two, and most importantly, what had been the outcome if any? Drifa shook her head and sighed as Loki turned back to her furiously. "Where is she? What has he done with her?"

Drifa scoffed. "You're awfully quick to judge the man that risked his own life to bring you back to Asgard and raise you as his own. He lied to you and treated you a little harshly, but he's not a monster, you know," she snorted. He growled and took a few steps towards her. She groaned and sat more upright. "He's sealed her in the vault with the rest of the Norn relics. Pity, she's nowhere near the shards of the casket and no one has bothered to tell the king that it's been returned in such a shameful state."

"You great bilgesnake! She'll die there!" Loki exclaimed. The vault was not meant to kill any creature, but it was also far beneath the palace in a place that was both terribly cold and usually thick-aired. Humans would've found it at the very least unbearable and the trickster couldn't understand what his adopted father had been thinking sealing a young woman within its walls. A young woman with child at that; didn't he remember what cold and solitude had done to . . . "My mother," Loki realized aloud. His heart burst into flames, seething with anger and hatred and roaring with despondency at the thought of losing Darcy in quite nearly the same way he had lost his rightful mother. He turned furiously to Drifa who sank back in the chair a little, looking up at him in surprise and a measure of fear. "When I return, should I find Darcy in any condition other than when last I saw her you will suffer a century for every moment she was otherwise."

"That's a little unfair given that what you truly want is to find her safe and well when the last you saw her she was overwhelmed with grief because of you," Drifa observed. The trickster's eyes narrowed at her angrily and she sighed, turning away. "She isn't going to die, you dolt. Like Brenhin, she is nearest enough to creatures with compassionate hearts and sound minds; no thanks to you, I might add, in either situation."

"This is unacceptable and absurd!" he ranted. "Confining a young woman in such an austere prison is no better . . ."

"Than abducting a mortal with the intent to do whatever evils are necessary to use their suffering to create the suffering of another?" Drifa added sharply. He turned and glowered at her as she folded her arms and returned a harsh gaze. "Odin would not do her any real harm. He anticipates you returning to retrieve her and you know it."

"She is mortal. Threats and imprisonment are more cruel and devastating than they are for any of his subjects," he corrected.

"And you think he's unaware of that? The worlds are full, Loki, full of creatures that have the very same knowledge and understanding that you do with other wisdoms besides. You are not the single parapet of the learned and you would do well to remember that," she said sternly. "I would, however, wait a few moments if I were you in retrieving her."

"That's imbecilic, she's in danger I cannot delay," he replied turning back to the door. Without anyone grasping the handle or touching its facings, the door suddenly slammed shut in front of him. The sound of the slam reverberated menacingly throughout the dwelling and Loki took a step backwards in surprise. Drifa rose and slunk back to the floor, moving to stand in the middle of the room expressionlessly. He turned back to face her, suppressing anger out of curiosity for why she wanted this delay.

"When you are finished retrieving her, she will convince you fervently to return to Sylvanheim to remove the marking. When you return, Eldred will be awaiting your arrival. He will take Darcy's life force in lieu of that which should have ended your apprenticeship to him," she said slowly and almost sadly. He gave her a stern look as if to remind her that he already knew the old sorcerer would make such a demand and, even being slightly less experienced and powerful at the moment than the dark master, he had planned to face the issue head on. She moved closer to him. "Unless you can present him with an alternative."

"And what would a shrewd sorcerer take in place of the last rune of power or that most significant tool with which he planned to seek it? There is nothing that can match the Norn Queen's Eye, nothing that he would accept," he corrected, turning back to the door and grasping the handle firmly.

"You could give him Nauthiz, the one rune he lacks, the one you could not find in any of your travels," she remarked. He laughed. "He plans to use the Eye to find it, after all. Nauthiz, the source of shadows drawn into light and secrets revealed, the power to know the past and guide the future. That is what he desires in it, is it not? That is why you were told to seek it for him, wasn't it?"

"I have searched worlds you've never dreamt of, oracle," he said with scorn. "What makes you think I could simply retrieve it and deliver it to him now?"

"Because it stands behind you," she said flatly. He froze at those words, a fizzling of strange, familiar realization moving through him. He heard the child-oracle move a step towards him. "To reveal all that is hidden, to turn misfortune into destiny, to discern and guide the banes and blessings of fate . . . that is the Rune Nauthiz. You remember well its vices and virtues from your texts, Loki," Drifa said emotionlessly. The trickster heard her breath beginning to grow a little shaky at the revelation. She folded her hands in front of her. "The answers to all riddles and the memories of all lost creatures, that is what Eldred lacks and what he still wants from you stands and speaks before you."

"This is deception, a ruse," he said softly, staring at her in disbelief. "The powers of a rune only answer to the most capable of sorcerers. Even with all of your gifts, your skills are limited at best."

"I have been cautious to show them to you any more than simply using the crystals," she confessed, staring up at him with wide, white eyes that now eerily pierced his thoughts and gave strange testimony to her confession. "Loki Odinson,_** I **_am the Rune Nauthiz."

His eyes trembled as madly as the rest of him at this news. He knew it was true, somehow it had to be and he felt that her powers mirrored all that he had learned about the rune's blessings in a sorcerer. Part of him had felt it when he had first met the girl, but he had ignored it until now. She was not only an oracle, she was a runic mage. "How?" he demanded simply.

She sighed and looked down. "Well, it all began with a fish."

(*)

"I will see about my niece and return, that is all I am asking to do, now stand aside!" Volstagg continued to demand angrily at the group of guards that had amassed to curtail his leaving the palace. Originally only two had stood in his path, but after the warrior had opted to try and get out to retrieve Loki from Drifa's dwelling several more had joined them. When he had reminded Thor of the trickster's promise on Alfsheim, the warrior, saddened and disheartened by the most recent refusal on his brother's part to follow him home, the older son of Odin and the rest of the warriors had tossed the notion aside reminding Volstagg that Loki was known as many things and a liar above them all. Ignoring this, Volstagg had hurried straight for the exit that would give him a straight shot out to Drifa's dwelling. He thought momentarily about the fact that Loki was well noted for his deception, but having involved anything with Drifa in the promise, he somehow felt that Loki would be more inclined to follow through with any vows. Drifa, at the very least, would go and see that the trickster did as he had promised even if only briefly, long enough to face the queen.

"The king has given his express desire that no one, good Volstagg, NO ONE leave this palace. His command was issued three hours ago and it has not changed since!" the largest and most agitated guard shouted at the red-haired warrior. Volstagg growled and instinctively clenched his hands into two fists. "And what's more, he's not likely to change his mind in the next three hours, either!"

"I was given an errand by the queen and I will not sit idly by and refuse to do my sworn service to her," Volstagg countered. The rest of his usual friends accompanied by Jane still clinging to Thor, walked slowly up to where their friend was arguing with the guards and growing louder in doing so by the minute. Sif frowned and shook her head, glancing over at Fandral and Hogun in turn who each did the same. "Now stand aside and you may tell the king that his queen has sent one of the warriors off to do her bidding in the rest of the kingdom."

"Our orders were clear, good Volstagg, and we aren't about to abandon them on your word alone," the guard replied angrily. He looked over the large warrior's shoulder at the blonde prince who had now joined the scene and bowed his head. "Your highness."

"Volstagg, this is lunacy. Loki isn't going to be waiting for you, you know that," Thor said with a tone of sadness. Volstagg turned and stared harshly at his friend, a defeated look in his blue eyes. "He's chosen a home on Alfsheim."

"Not a good idea, mind you, but with his natural affinity for charming citizens and beasts alike a bear should be no small feat for him," Fandral added. The other three turned and gave him a sharp look as well. "Besides, it might suit him more to be among their kind where he might just feel more at ease, visibly speaking."

"You've given up hope . . . now?" Volstagg demanded as he glared at Thor. Thor frowned and looked away, tightening the hand around Jane's. "Your brother has died and been revived twice in your mind, in our minds, after countless acts of mischief that became menacing . . . but still you stood by him."

"I had hope then of him returning to stand beside me," Thor replied sadly. "That's not going to happen."

"Oh, for the sake of all that lives! He's still the same scrawny little imp and as powerful as he might become, as menacing as he might make himself, he still needs you," Volstagg countered angrily and then looked at each of his friends in turn. "And the rest of us as well."

"Do you really think your friendship and my protection will sway his mind, change his desires?" Thor demanded, releasing Jane's hand as he took a step closer to the larger warrior. "No. Loki is beyond our reach now and that is exactly where he wants to be." Thor sighed and looked away. "He's grown used to isolation, it seems to comfort him."

"You fool, if he wanted isolation he wouldn't constantly rue over vengeance and reach pitifully for a throne!" Volstagg shot back. Unknown to the warriors, the prince, and the mortal, Odin observed from a short distance away. He remained silent and hidden behind a set of columns, watching the six cautiously. Volstagg had long been known for being loyal to the queen and as much of an older brother figure to Loki as Thor though Odin knew that the trickster might have seen him more as a distant uncle than something as close as a brother. Volstagg loved the royal family, but in loving them and having observed them for years, was ready to burst after seeing all the centuries of misdeeds and misunderstandings that had gone unaddressed. Thor glared at the man that had just blatantly called him a fool. It might've been true in some regards, but he wasn't keen on hearing it from anyone. "You've watched your brother for years and you still don't know who he is!"

"How can I know who he is he's changed it dramatically in exile and proudly wants to keep it that way," Thor shot back, hiding the hurt that Volstagg's words had created with a louder tone. "I know Loki more intimately than any of you," he continued. Sif scoffed at this causing Fandral to roll his eyes and Jane to mutter "Not as intimately as some people". Thor sighed and gestured to one side and then the other as he spoke. "Even on earth, after I told him I mourned for him, even after I stood to defend him on Alfsheim he turned and fled from me. He will not come back to Asgard, not for you, not for me, not for my mother, and not for . . ."

"He will return and Drifa will see to it," Volstagg corrected firmly.

Thor laughed scornfully at this. Hogun shook his head sadly and glanced toward Odin, the only one of the group even remotely aware of the All-Father's presence. "Drifa? The child-oracle will make my brother, the would-be conqueror of earth and leader of a legion from the galaxies beyond, appear meekly back on Asgard?" he said with another caustic laugh. "That is foolishness."

"Drifa is wiser and more powerful than you realize," Volstagg countered, a warning tone in his voice that harkened back to Thor's addressing Banner about his brother's sanity. The two glared at each other and stood only a few inches apart, Jane still clinging to her darling's arm, urging him to back down and be calm. Odin watched sadly as Thor remarked that Drifa's power was nothing more than a festival trick, giving fortunes and predicting the pasts of patrons. Volstagg glared more angrily at him and drew an inch closer. "Did it ever occur to you that perhaps this, this arrogance and this notion of magic's frivolous nature is what turned Loki against you? Did you?" Thor looked as if he had been smacked in the face by a wet cloth as Volstagg glared at him. Sif and Fandral both took defensive steps backwards at those words. Jane looked down and sadly leaned her forehead against Thor's arm at this accusation that he apparently had harbored in the back of his mind for some time. Volstagg moved closer and spoke more softly, but not so softly that the All-Father's keen senses couldn't hear the words and each weighed more heavily on his heart than on his son's mind.

"Year after year since I came to offer my services to the court he advanced in his studies and you in your training. And every time he proudly showed you some new spell, some new and wondrous charm you ridiculed it and regarded it as nothing. Tirelessly he tried to do something, anything to impress you or your father, to attain some semblance of favor and you two mocked his every attempt. Do you remember the day he learned to take hold of his transformations? Do you?" Volstagg shouted. Thor seemed to be shrinking down with each reminder, knowing that he bore a great amount of responsibility for Loki's suffering and having hoped that he would never have to hear about it from anyone but his brother. It hurt more deeply than any betrayal to be reminded of this cruelty right now. "He announced his accomplishment in front of the two of you one evening, in front of the rest of us, so proud of everything he had mastered to that day. And then, then he became the one thing he had always wanted to be, as I recall him saying, and he took another form entirely; yours."

Jane was unable to stifle a pitied 'aw' at this and watched Thor's reaction sadly. "And what did you do? Huh? What did the Mighty Thor do when his brother honored him?"

Thor took a step back and looked down. "I laughed at him," he admitted shamefully.

"You laughed at him," Volstagg repeated. Thor glanced back up at him in mixed anger and remorse. "And what happened after that?"

While Thor gave a concise reply about what had followed, Odin felt the memory replay painfully in his mind. He had laughed as well, which always invited the laughter of the rest of the court. He remembered standing and pointing at the faux-image of his older son and remarking as loudly as he could, "At last; Loki has made visible progress towards being able to lift something heavier than a quill!" The shock had caused the trickster's sleight to fade instantly into a pink and pale youth filled with humiliation. The All-Father remembered adding then "It's a shame such a thing is so fleeting. I suppose I shall have to settle for having two perfect sons only as long as the charm will last!" Odin grasped his heart as it wrenched in agony at remembering the trickster hurrying away from the grand hall. The sounds of his cries didn't manifest themselves until he was well out of the palace, but Frigga had heard them from within one of the gardens nevertheless. Along with Volstagg she had been the only member of the court to not delight in the mockery had repeatedly at his expense. He slowly returned to the present as the shame became somewhat easier to bear and the arguing that had renewed between Volstagg and the guard grew even louder. Odin sighed heavily and suddenly realized that keeping the truth of his heritage hadn't been the only wrong wrought against the younger for so long. It had seemed harmless, even merited at times, to say such things and increase Thor's sense of pride and Loki's sense of cunning. Instead, all it had done was create a terrible rift in the trickster's heart, one that had consumed him and boiled over into wickedry against worlds beyond. He gathered his strength, now knowing what truly needed to be done to set things to right. It was more than uniting the family and making the boy feel welcome that was needed; he needed to hear that those things in the past were wrong and be assured that they would never transpire again. Odin stepped out from behind the column and raised a hand sternly. "Enough!" he shouted towards the group. All present turned and bowed as Odin joined them more fully. He looked at Volstagg and Thor with a measure of admiration and apology. "If Loki has told you where to retrieve him and Frigga has given you instruction to do so, then be on your way and be quick about it." Volstagg nodded and shoved harshly past the guards. Thor turned to his father in confusion. The elder stared back at his son flatly. "You go with him, retrieve your brother and bring him home before the sun rises."

"Yes, father," Thor replied hurriedly, quickly bidding Jane to stay behind and saying goodbye. Without being told, the warriors followed their friends out and into the rest of Asgard leaving the All-Father and Jane standing silently in front of the humbled guards. Odin turned and swiftly moved towards the vault. He cared little about what the mortal did in Thor's absence, but the mortal in the vault would not be alone for long. Even if the group did manage to retrieve Loki, which he doubted they would if he already knew where she was, then he would be drawn toward the vault upon returning and that is exactly where the All-Father intended to wait for him; repentant of the trickster's horrible past.


	51. Feathers, Father, Fins

Chapter 51: Feathers, Father, Fins

"Enough! I have had more than sufficient of your futile verbal ambling!" Loki shouted at Drifa after twenty-five minutes of the oracle's digressing from Nauthiz being had by a sorcerer who kept a coal-tuna fish as a pet to the sorcerer's origins, to the runes' origins themselves. In a flash, a reached out and snatched her up by both arms, glaring into her now terrified eyes. Drifa had not been so caught off guard since her true childhood and it had been by Loki's birth father. She stared at him in trepidation as he snarled. "Just tell me what the fish the rune was doing . . . er, what the rune was doing in a fish and how it came to you!"

"The fish swallowed it," Drifa said simply. He growled and tightened his grip on her shoulders, prompting a small shriek from her as she gazed back in further amazement. Fifteen minutes had been too long and each of the progressive ten minutes afterward had made him more and more angry and desperate. Clearly he was at the end of his rope now and she hadn't given him enough information. "I ate the fish," she added. He raised a brow at her angrily as she began to fidget with both hands in front of her as best she could around his grip. "The coal-tuna had been accidentally caught in a net that a fisherman had used on Nornheim and given to my father as a gift along with several other barrels full of fish. When Laufey attacked, I hid in one of the barrels and he sealed me inside with ice and magic. There were still a few fish left in it and I was starving, so I . . ."

"Ate the rune?" he exclaimed. He would've been amused had this not been a pivotal artifact that his entire apprenticeship had hinged upon for centuries. She cringed at whatever reaction he might have next. He merely stared at her in bewilderment. "You assumed ancient power, limitless knowledge and the key to seeking out all manner of magic and secrets, through ingestion?" She cringed more fully, practically curling into a ball at the thought of what he might do next. As she trembled and tensed every available muscle to defend herself, the trickster remained silent for a beat. Suddenly, the trickster burst into laughter. Drifa's heart thundered and despite her limitless powers, she found herself truly terrified of what a creature with both Alfskind and Jotun blood might do in anger. Drifa let out another shriek and cowered as he laughed all the louder. She waited a few moments and then unfolded herself slightly, gazing at him cautiously as he quickly set her back on the ground. "I spend countless years at study, centuries apprenticed to a dark sorcerer in misery doing tedious tasks and going through his ridiculous tomes, and all I had to do was swallow a rune!"

"I'm fairly sure it's not that easy," Drifa muttered, backing away. "Besides, it saved my life when I was desperate and you haven't been that desperate until most recently."

He turned and hurried out of the dwelling, still audibly and visibly amused at the story as he made his way a few feet away from the dwelling. He knelt, grinning brightly and shaking his head. Of all the strange and truly unbelievable things to happen and of all the creatures for it to happen to. He would enjoy sharing this story with Volstagg someday when he could speak to his friend face to face once more. Someday soon, he thought, when I am king of my own realm. Loki gathered a powerful surge of magic around him, willing the force to transport each portion of him into the palace nearest the vault. It was far too difficult to appear in the vault itself. Taking objects from the vault magically was one thing, but simply appearing there was another. The amusement faded from him as he faded from view, re-centering his thoughts on Darcy and praying to the forces that protected mortals that she was unharmed.

(*)

Odin moved as quickly as possible to the vault, arriving only seconds after Loki and watching the image of the young sorcerer approach two of the guards. The All-Father's heart raced as he watched the youth withdraw two thin, wicked daggers and position them in his hand, poised for a fatal blow. Odin drew in a deep breath, ready to halt a bloody display, but stayed still and silent as Loki knelt behind the two. He deftly tossed the daggers between them and they formed two loud, crazed hens. The guards shouted in surprise and then hurried after the feathery monsters that pecked angrily at the men each time they came within a fraction of their presence, still cackling and cawing madly. Every good grip one of the guards would get on a hen would cause the bird to split into two birds and the problem became more aggravating than before. Odin suppressed a hearty laugh at the clever and hilarious display. Loki grinned brightly, savoring the moment ever so briefly and then darting over to the door of the room that held the most powerful items of all . . . the Norn Relics. Norn magic was deep and female making it volatile and difficult for even the All-Father to control. The Norn Queen had granted him certain relics and entrusted him with watching over others. No doubt that once the Eye was made whole, she would want it returned for a short time even if she eventually planned to store it safely on Asgard. The All-Father patiently waited for his son to fiddle with the lock, not wanting to draw attention by simply bursting through the door with magic and he knew better than to try and simply appear in the room. Odin smiled as Loki felt the last few gears tumble into place and resound with a pleasant 'click' as he found the right combination and headed swiftly inside.

(*)

Darcy had waited in shock for what had seemed like a full day. It could've only been hours at the most, but it had dragged on so painfully. It was terribly cold and getting more difficult to breathe with each passing moment. She had seen guards patrolling the vault itself as she had been dragged into the room and shackled to one of the ornate tables holding an odd bird-like statue, so she knew that the area was not completely unsafe to be in. It certainly wasn't good for the baby. She had contemplated repeatedly using the mark to summon Loki or transport herself back to the dwelling. Each time the notion conflicted within her, raising the question what effect would using this sort of magic have on the baby? She had eventually decided that it would certainly have a more benign effect; one that Loki or Drifa might have been able to reverse, than dying or getting sick in the cold, damp vault. To her dismay, even with all of her concentration and a great deal of passionate energy, she was unable to do anything significant with the mark. She wasn't even able to make it glow or create the tingling sensation that she had once been able to do just by paying attention to it. She sighed and leaned her head against the table, sobbing a little and wrapping one arm around her midsection.

"I shouldn't have left like that. He didn't mean to be such a creep, he just doesn't know how to not be a creep, poor creep," she sobbed. "I'd give anything for just one more minute with him, just to tell him how much I love him and how wonderful it would've been to have a family together."

"Oh, no it really is true, you are with child," Loki groaned loudly. Darcy perked up and began to look around frantically. She gasped and strained against the shackles on her wrists as she tried to locate her beloved. The trickster hurried over to her, kneeling and taking both her hands in his own. "Drifa must've told you, didn't she? That white-haired half-harpy has an unending supply of misfortune."

"Loki, I really don't want to get into it right now with you," Darcy said in a trembling voice, hiding fear and now anger in her cautious tone. "But that really shouldn't be an issue right now, okay? We can fight about how much of a tyrant you want to be later."

Before Darcy could say anything further, Loki managed to free one of her wrists. Without warning she thrust herself forward and wrapped her arms so very tightly around his neck and shoulders, clutching the back of his head with one hand so firmly that he somehow felt like she had hold of a good part of his scalp as well. He carefully put both of his arms around her as well, cradling her against him as they knelt. She was trembling so madly, due in part to the cold and in another part to a combination of sadness, fear, hunger, and relief. He gently stroked the back of her head, laying his cheek against hers and breathing in the scent of her presence. Her hair still smelled as lovely and soft and she was still ever so warm. He reveled in this momentarily and then reminded himself that they had precious little time to escape. Drifa had told him that she would be able to persuade him to return immediately to Sylvanheim, but at the moment he was hard set on the notion of taking her to the abandoned dwelling he had housed himself in from which he had watched the start of the glorious battle on earth transpiring. There he could feed her and allow her to sleep while he concocted a more suitable plan to defeat Eldred using Drifa as leverage and live bait. She groaned weakly, now allowing her adrenaline to wear away as she relaxed into his strength and was reassured by his presence. She could collapse here, she could faint here, just as long as he remained able and willing to watch over her.

Darcy slowly pulled away from him, still grasping his arms tightly as he returned the gesture, laying his hands on her forearms. "Loki, we have to get back to Sylvanheim, now. I have to get rid of this mark today," she said urgently.

The trickster sighed, ready to parry any argument she might have for him after Drifa's warning. Darcy looked deeply and firmly into his eyes. "I remember reading a few books on elves from that one realm, the one your mother was from, the one you're from," she continued. He had formed the perfect parabola for this and reached up, placing a hand gently under her chin as he prepared to deliver it smoothly. "I only have a couple of day . . . a week at the most since I'm human," she stated firmly. He stared back at her in confusion. She lifted one brow and deepened the gaze, signaling to him that she was referring to something terribly serious and likely the primary reason she felt fearful for the time being. His eyes widened in disbelief and he pulled away a little. Darcy clasped her hands more tightly around his arms, frowning. "I need to get rid of this mark and I need you to help me . . . with all of it."

He nodded slowly and then set to work undoing the other wrist. The sooner they finished on Sylvanheim, the sooner they could deal with the other prssing matter and he could thwart whatever this was forming within her. He had heard of certain instances using magic where sorcerers had hidden royal or powerful infants in the wombs of other women not their rightful mothers. This would simply mean a better and more equipped home for the child. Besides, this child, despite being born to a different family, would truly be theirs. Something part of him wished had been done on his behalf before Marya and Brenhin had sacrificed so much. The other shackle came off seconds later and Darcy quickly tried to stand. She lurched forward and groaned, weakened by the imprisonment, shocks of so much pressing news, and sheer exhaustion. He caught her and eased them back to the ground, kneeling. They could return to Sylvanheim and wait safely in the deepest part of the forest. They would be safe there and he could make sure that she rested, ate, and restored her spirit before the mark was removed. He still wasn't sure what kind of ordeal that would be, and the notion that it might be painful or taxing also weighed heavily on Darcy's mind. After gathering their senses and making sure that she had the fortitude to try again, the two drew in a deep breath together and readied to stand. A familiar sound interrupted them and the trickster froze where he was.

"Wait," Odin called from a short distance away. Darcy met her beloved's troubled gaze and she glanced past him for a beat, noting that Odin was keeping a safe distance. "I know that you are anxious to settle this matter with Eldred, I have heard of your apprenticeship from this mortal and I trust that you are in the process of ending all ties with him while removing this mark from her. I will not keep you here, I will not make you stay and listen any longer than you desire, but I implore you to hear me." Loki remained motionless. He and his adopted father hadn't been in the same room together for long since it had been revealed that he was a foundling. He contemplated simply scooping Darcy up into his arms and hurrying off to Sylvanheim, leaving this painful memory behind. The other part of him, the sensible part that had kept Darcy safe and his sanity whole, urged him to stay and listen. Keeping his back to his father, Loki hesitated, signaling to the old man that his words would indeed be heard for the moment. Odin sighed and trembled as he sadly looked out at the image of his adopted son. He wished madly that he could tenderly place his hands on either of the boy's shoulders, and his fervent desire caused the trickster to feel his father's presence, to feel both his strong, warm hands on his shoulders. Then he began to speak and spoke to him with such tenderness that the trickster was afraid breathing too deeply might overpower the sound of his father's voice.

"Loki, from the moment I retrieved you from the floor of that temple, the very first moment your eyes met mine, all I ever wanted for you was to have you warm and safe and away from the horrors that had driven Marya to her demise and your father to war. I only ever wanted you to be loved, to feel love," the All-Father explained slowly and deliberately. He smiled as the memories of the happy family in its youth flooded him. "But then I saw you and Thor and how strong you both were, how full of life and power and I . . . I knew that one day you would be stronger than the safety of home, full of more life than the warmth your mother and I gave you, and more powerful than the love we shared as a family."

Loki breathed deeply and looked away from Darcy's gaze, trying not to allow the old man's words to move him to tears just yet. Not all of his life had been staged-tragedy; if nothing else each moment with Frigga had been a glimpse of real paradise. Odin and Thor, despite their respective flaws particularly as Loki had grown, had been wonderfully affectionate at one time and all three had felt invincible. Yes, he remembered some happiness, but for years had felt the dejection and mockery of being far less than what his father had just described. How had he seen him as strong as Thor when he had always been slight and pale? This had been something the old man had never been slow to point out. And Odin had never acknowledged the trickster for his power further than jeering at him for choosing magic over sparring. The All-Father shook his head sadly as he continued.

"And as you grew, you grew differently. You became everything that your brother, your mother and I, that none of us could have on our own. It was peculiar and I am ashamed to admit that in my ignorance I scorned it, scorned what makes you so necessary to all of us. Even now I can see all the pain I've caused you, the years of jests at your expense when what should have been given was praise, the sleight I created in hiding the truth from you when it would have affirmed our love, and all the years I spent lavishing affection on only one of my children," he said, his voice now quaking. Darcy noticed that Loki's eyes were similarly trembling, seeming to quiver with a stream of suppressed tears as if he had two vast wells boiling into emotional geysers. She reached up and touched the side of his face lovingly as a tear rolled impertinently down his cheek. He growled a little, but quickly relaxed at her touch, placing his own hand softly over hers and closing his eyes to try and take in the moment without too much at once.

"I cannot judge at all what manner of havoc you wrought against any realm when my hand forced you away from years of showing you the right paths to follow. You know what you are and are not justified in having done, Loki, the taking of life or the seizing of freedoms are wrong for any creature, but I will not punish you for what is most clearly my failure," Odin said heavily, placing one hand against his chest gesturing that he genuinely felt every word he was saying. Loki's heart twisted in agony at those words spoken after so many centuries of heartache and longing. He breathed sharply and fought away a torrent of sorrow. "Loki, I can only ask, but I cannot expect you to release me from any condemnation. I am so very sorry for every moment of pain I caused you, every second of this awful lie kept upon you, and all of the warmth that I could have given you, but foolishly forgot to give. I can only hope that someday, some idealistic day, that you find it in your wounded heart to forgive me."

Loki trembled, grasping Darcy's hands tightly as more tears streamed down the sides of his pale cheeks. He slowly turned and stood, facing his father. Odin's heart leapt as Loki faced him. He filled with anxiety and contemplated moving towards the boy, but reminded himself that the boy was still in a delicate state. He exhaled sharply, watching Loki simply stand and gaze back at him. Darcy stood very slowly as well, clinging to his tunic sleeves still weakened and frightened. The trickster opened his mouth for a moment, trembling and trying to form words. He felt Darcy tug at his sleeves, the girl's failing constitution was now palpable. He reached behind him and firmly took her hand, intertwining his fingers around hers as he readied to take them both hurriedly to Sylvanheim. Odin's heart sank, fearing that he had been too late in saying something so necessary and that he had truly lost his second child forever. As Loki gathered the energy to transport them, still staring at the old man deeply. As the image of the two began to fade and Odin's heart began to form a small rift of its own, Loki nodded to the man. "I forgive you," he said, finally feeling the old man's genuine affection through this display and in so doing, finally felt his own in return. ". . . Father."


	52. Back to Earth

Chapter 52: Back to Earth

It took less than a few moments for Loki to make sure that Darcy had not been terribly shaken by being transported while so weak. He could easily summon Drifa from Sylvanheim now that he knew he could draw on the power of the rune within her. He had pushed the anger incensed within him aside when hearing Odin's voice and it had almost completely subsided when the apology had been made. Darcy didn't care that Loki no longer had the desire to thoroughly thrash the daylights out of his adopted father for locking her in the vault. As they materialized in the deep forest a broad grin crossed his features as he thought about the perfect way to exact the deserved revenge against his father for such cruelty. When he could return to Asgard with Darcy safe and Eldred destroyed he would do the harshest thing he could think of to the old man; he would tell Frigga what had been done and allow her to handle the situation. There was nothing the old man feared more than an angry wife.

Darcy groaned and looked around at the forest, clinging tightly to her beloved. Loki pulled her closer and knelt carefully, situating them comfortably on the forest floor. The soil here was softer after centuries of root systems stretching and nourishing one another with a perfect layer of meadow-grass that had managed to flourish despite a lack of sun beneath the thick, leafy branches of the trees. While Loki leaned against one of the larger trunks, Darcy placed her head against his chest, remembering how she had become lost in the forest upon first being abducted. She smirked and laughed inwardly remembering the host of animals that had come across her that had turned out to be the trickster as well as his attempt to become his brother outwardly. She felt a lurch within her and grasped her abdomen, sadly.

"I'm so hungry," she said sadly. Loki shifted and watched her sit upright, gingerly stroking her still flattened belly. "I wish I had thought to get something to eat before I got myself locked in an oversized safe by the one-eyed wonder."

The trickster laughed softly and then closed his eyes for a moment. He had practiced this several times before trying to learn to transport himself around the realms. Summoning objects, specifically food or drink, was easier than summoning a whole living object and only slightly more difficult than summoning a weapon. He reached out and slowly clenched his fist and then released it, allowing the power he had gathered to spread more fully with his fingertips extended. Darcy watched in amazement as streams of bluish energy emitted from his hands and swirled around in front of them until settling onto the ground. It formed into a large, golden platter and Loki could only imagine the whispering and shock on the faces of the servants as the platter had disappeared. He wished he could've seen the reactions; something he always loved the look of fright and anxiety on the faces of everyone that was unsettled by one of his eccentric pranks. Darcy's eyes widened as the platter with a large loaf of bread surrounded by golden and silver apples appeared. Loki grinned brightly.

"Still child's play," he said happily. He leaned forward and quickly took one of the golden apples, handing it to Darcy. She accepted it, still shocked and amazed at the appearance of the platter. As her beloved sat back against the tree, grasping a silver apple himself, she grinned and looked down at the apple. No matter what transpired, she would never be used to his magic and all the wonder it seemed to bring. Fortunately for Darcy, his dedication to using magic for darker purposes had waned significantly, most significantly since they had faced the lindwurm together. Something had stirred within him having been through such trials and the two pleasant trysts with her, something wonderful. At the same moment the trickster repeated to himself that with the aid of the golden and silver fruit he could ensure his true love's longevity and health . . . at least for now. He turned and noticed her continued awe and smiled. "Go on, you need to replenish your strength. It's bound to be difficult to face Eldred for both of us."

Darcy frowned and placed her hand protectively over her midsection once more. Loki ignored this, not wanting to incite another round of hostility and still unsure of how he was going to deal with the issue of a child he had not permitted. "I guess I really got myself into something deep holding that crystal ball, or, that magic eye," she said with a heavy sigh. He watched her closely as she mindlessly turned the apple over in her hands. She clearly wasn't schooled extensively on the older myths mankind held regarding Asgard or she would've been abuzz with questions about whether or not they brought immortality or had healing properties. He felt it best to say nothing to that end and simply watched her devour it in a manner of seconds. She sighed once more. "I guess your father, or whatever he is, really hates me now, doesn't he?"

"I doubt he has the potential or enough energy to truly hate someone," the trickster replied. He lifted one brow as she took a second apple and downed it as well. "Not to worry, Any negativity will be thoroughly beaten out of him by Frigga once she finds out that he put a living creature in the vault, you can be sure of that."

"So we're going back after we're done here? I mean, you are going to try and go home now that things seem a little more at ease, aren't you?" she asked hopefully.

He sighed heavily and looked out into the distance, gazing without any real dedication to one object in particular through a patch of light streaming in where the leaves had parted ever so slightly. He contemplated the notion of returning home. He had accompanied Thor back to Asgard in chains and promptly fled before the elder prince had been given the opportunity to march him in front of their parents, dejected. Even with Odin's apology, which the trickster still found difficult to grasp despite being so very deeply moved by it, there was still a long list of things to contend with. Loki had been blamed for things as heinous as treason and would likely be held accountable for any loss of human life on earth by the kingdom whether Odin had promised to absolve him or not. In fact, now that he thought about it Loki wondered if the apology hadn't been some sort of ruse, more deceit on the All-Father's part to try and lure him back to appease the fainting Frigga before dealing out what he considered justice. Frigga would be content to have him back somewhere safe, but she wouldn't deny Odin any torment, she never had. His eyes narrowed instinctively at feeling a sense of betrayal fill him again. No, he couldn't return for anything else. Drifa could be summoned and Darcy was safe and that was that. The entire kingdom had turned on its odd head to wish him harm. Thor was the one that had committed high treason with the help of Heimdall, Sif, and the Warriors Three . . . they had disobeyed a direct command from the king and that had never been addressed. Odin had not given Thor permission to return and there were no conditions laid against his return . . . he still should've been in exile by all rights and Loki should've been happily awaiting his mother's blessing to take the throne. Darcy watched in concern as his fist clenched around the silvery apple in his hand and suddenly the fruit burst under the pressure. She gasped and jumped back an inch. He snapped back into present consciousness and glanced down at the remnants of the apple in his hand, sighing. He tossed the remnants to the side and grasped his head with his other hand, closing his eyes and fighting away another consuming wave of sadness, sadness at having lost his home and his rightful place all because of his selfish brother and deceitful foster father.

Darcy frowned and watched him breathing deeply, centering himself. Usually it would've been Brenhin that broke him out of this kind of state, returning his attention to something more important. Brenhin wasn't here at the moment and a pessimistic voice reminded her that he might never be there again. She shook that away reminding herself that her compassionate trickster wouldn't have left his best friend to die on another realm. He looked troubled now, more troubled than he had in waiting for Tapio which was as troubled as she had ever seen him. She sighed and scooted closer, slowly slipping her smaller, pale, unmarked hand under his. She kept the other neatly positioned at her side and slowly wrapped her fingers around his hand, gently folding it into her own and squeezing it ever so softly. She leaned against him which finally shook him from the sphere of sorrow that had enveloped him momentarily. She was good at that and it suited him well. He squeezed her hand in return and moved to face her for a moment, tenderly stroking the side of her face with the back of his hand. She smiled as he grinned in return. If nothing else, he had a loyal creature at his side. As temperamental and verbal as Darcy could be at times and as definitely fragile as she would always be, she was his and his alone. He pulled her to him, laying her head over his heart and settling back on the forest floor. Darcy felt a true lull in the energy around them and something within her told her to seize the immediate opportunity to sleep. Everything else could wait including her inquiry about what was troubling him. Darcy had never gone to sleep curious before, but it seemed like there was nothing else she could do at the moment.

Loki recognized the peace around them as well and knew that they would be safe for a few hours at least. He grinned more brightly as Darcy sang the four short lines that she had sung for him when he had fled from Thor's custody and made it back to Sylvanheim; free of the bindings, but not their oppressive chill and the continued betrayal of the kingdom he had loved. Darcy had never felt so tired before and found that after she had completed the third 'purr' she was too exhausted to sing, speak, or anything else. She felt her muscles lose their tone and strength as an unusually powerful slumber set in. The trickster watched her fall sound asleep and placed both arms around her; one over her shoulders and cradling the side of her head, the other underneath the arm of the marked hand with his own palm resting against her midsection.

Three hours later, the trickster felt something odd and awakened at once. Darcy was still sound asleep, but he quickly glanced down at her body and his hand as he felt something stir beneath her surface. His mind raced as he moved his hand slightly and the movement within followed. A chill jolted through him, shooting down his spine and beckoning him to carefully sit upright. He carefully maneuvered under the girl until she was lying comfortably on the ground and he sat beside her. Cautiously, gently, he placed his hand on her midsection once more, waiting. Nothing now. He sighed with relief and closed his eyes. Drifa was Asgardian and therefore given to any number of deceits which might've included telling Darcy she was with child when she wasn't for whatever lark it would've given her. The notion of parenthood itself didn't necessarily disgust the trickster, but the idea of having to address so many things on a moment's notice was overwhelming. There was no real careful planning with parenting, no ability to patiently observe and plot efficiently around handling a situation. The whole concept of rearing a child was exhausting and a little more than daunting to the most even-natured of individuals, but to Loki it seemed like a nightmare within a nightmare. Thankfully what he had thought to be a certain testimony to Darcy's condition seemed to be nothing more than . . . SWISH! Another fluttering motion swept beneath her skin and his palm, moving past him and seeming to take notice of his presence. Loki wasn't sure how to describe it or how he knew whatever creature within her had taken note of him, but it terrified him. He scooted away and clutched the side of his head as he began to breathe more rapidly.

There was nothing that ruined any moment more than the presence of a baby; loud, uncontrollable, and completely ill-communicative every one of them. Another part of him had grown curious and a little excited about the prospect of having a child, a son more specifically. That was a mark of strength on his part at the very least and someone to continue the legacy of his own skill. He drew in a deep breath, trembling somewhat, and reached forward to feel more closely for the infant's presence. As he pressed his hand against Darcy, he felt a sharp sting of terror meet his hand and while Darcy's heart was soothed and sleeping, the child sensed something else in their midst. He turned and stood, looking around the forest with the utmost caution and listening intently. Feeling the odd sensation of the baby's increased pulse and Loki's movements, Darcy stirred and sat upright. She suddenly noticed her beloved standing a few feet away, looking around the forest as if he had spotted an intruder. She frowned.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she said softly.

Loki turned to reply to her query over his shoulder, but felt a weathered hand tightly gripped about his neck in an instant. He gasped and managed to glance behind him as Darcy silently and swiftly stood, staring in horror at the sight of Eldred. His eyes glowed a fierce blue and crimson veins protruding throughout the whites. Loki was taken entirely by surprise by his master and suddenly realized that he had been rendered motionless and weak by whatever Eldred was managing to press on his neck. The trickster was unable to even reach up and instinctively grasp at the man's hand. Eldred snarled and held the hollowed crystal that had once been the Norn Queen's Eye aloft. He thrust it forward against Loki's chest and the young sorcerer's heart sank before it began to twist in agony. He was all too familiar with what objects like this did when intended to meet with the heart, having used the method himself on Midgard. Instead of wrapping its energy around his mind through the beating of his heart, the trickster felt every ounce of energy, every strain of control he had over magic suddenly being pulled out of him. The sensation was not altogether unlike losing a tooth, roots and blood urged violently forward as a throbbing emptiness was left. Loki groaned as he watched the orb fill with electric blues and faint greens . . . his power. Eldred glanced down at the orb and smiled before pulling the trickster's face as close to his as he could.

"You were always a disappointment to every creature in your company," he sneered. "As weak and pathetic as a mortal, that is why Laufey left you to die, why Marya tried to force you back into his hands, and why you were never loved on Asgard," he rasped. A twinge of remorse grew into a bright burning pain within Loki as he heard aloud words that had echoed within him as a child and then as a young man. He could not be loved and without his power, without what made him even a fraction useful, he would be better dead. "You were scarcely mourned then; no one will mark your passing now."

_**No**_, he suddenly shouted inwardly, struggling madly against his master's grip and amazed at how steely the old man had become. He had clearly been saving strength and summoning great energy for this. _You have Darcy to look after, you have Brenhin to see to, you will have a throne on Midgard, Alfsheim, Jotunheim, and Asgard all. They need you to break free . . . all of them. Darcy will die at his hand if you cannot_ . . . His thoughts were undone by Eldred heaving him backwards and then throwing him harshly into the air. Loki's eyes widened in terror as a heated portal opened around him. He reached out toward Darcy, screaming furiously. "Run, Darcy! Flee!" he shouted in terror. The portal quickly closed around his last feature on Sylvanheim and once his hand was enclosed, he sped madly through the portal, hurtling through the cosmos as he had done once before. He shrieked in terror, trying to use any semblance of power to reach out for something, anything. In another flash of light, Loki suddenly recognized the familiar sight of earth's blue and white surface. He groaned inwardly, realizing that he would collide with the ground yet again. While he was still immortal and would be able to survive, he would not be able to quickly heal himself or sett out after Eldred. He was helpless and about to be completely inundated by a race of helpless creatures. His mind furiously grasped at a final few edges of sanity as the ground grew closer. He was falling right into the heart of the city he had attacked and then spared from Surtur. _Well_, he thought. _Perhaps I might be able to enlist at least the help of one to get back . . . or at the very least_, he thought wincing at the notion, _send word to my brother_. The ground met him more harshly here than it had in New Mexico and Loki was now sure that he was far more battered than ever. Smoke and debris began to dissipate and settle around him as darkness began to set in. _A few moments, that's all I need. I will send word to my brother and command the aid of the others. Surely they will assist me when I mean them no immediate harm_. He coughed and felt the world grow very cold and still. The last few thoughts kept his heart beating and lungs burning with breath. _Darcy, flee and hide; be as clever as the sorcerer you once deceived . . . my love_.


	53. Warcraft & Heads or Tails of Midgard

_**(((Rest in peace, Ray Bradbury . . . my friend, my hero, my inspiration. You touched so much of my life and the lives of my family. I will truly miss you . . .)))**_

Chapter 53: Warcraft and Heads or Tails of Midgard

The atmosphere on Sylvanheim was electrified, poised with a coming storm that would shatter the nine realms and destroy the peace of many a universe. Eldred held aloft the glowing blue orb triumphantly and laughed as Darcy stood frozen, horrified at what had just transpired. Loki was gone . . . he was just gone. What could she do now? She was only a human, she didn't know any magic and she had no idea how to properly call for help. Eldred slowly turned back to the girl, grinning broadly. "With that great fool out of the way and all of his gifts in this wondrous orb," the sorcerer said with elation, admiring the ball even more "Now all I need is the key . . . the marked one." Darcy stared at it more closely. This was the Norn Queen's Eye, the object that had given her the mark. She had briefly heard Brenhin and Loki discussing its uses days ago. It was primarily a seeing tool used for visions and finding things since the original owner, the Norn Queen herself, had enchanted it with her own magic of foresight. Brenhin had also said emphatically that the orb held only part of the queen's gifts and that the orb's true power was in taking the powers of others and allowing its owner to use them. Loki had commented that such a thing didn't make sense . . . how would an orb know its master and how would one become master of such a thing in the first place? Brenhin had admitted he had no idea, but as a strong burning sensation ripped through Darcy's hand, a clear and unusually complex notion came to her. The marking; that signified the owner, that was what allowed someone to use the orb and had been why Eldred had been so desperate to find them. He knew Loki didn't have the mark and as the old man gazed hungrily at her, she realized that he was painfully aware that she had the mark at last. She took a step backwards, calculating what the next best course of action would be.

_Think Darcy, think, this can't be that hard . . . get away from him, that's all. No, wait, I should get that crystal ball, too_, she thought. She groaned inwardly as the fleeting thoughts swirled and Eldred began to advance. She took cautious steps backwards, still thinking. _I should've played more World of Warcraft . . . what can humans do that out-trumps an arrogant sorcerer?_ A grin moved across her features as she remembered having been able to catch even the legendary Loki off guard. _Anything. as long as it's nothing_, she realized with a grin. She screamed as loudly as she could and then turned, running away from him as quickly as she could while still giving him plenty of room and time to catch up with her. She panted heavily and placed a hand gingerly on her belly, promising her unborn that they would be safe . . . if she didn't screw this up.

"Run as far and fast as you desire, mortal, your limitations are amusingly taut with hunger and . . ." he began. He was cut short when Darcy halted unexpectedly and he slammed into her. The two grunted and Darcy fought away the overwhelming throbbing and pain that moved through her. To her delight, the sorcerer was stunned and quickly tried to scramble to stand once more. One thing she had noted about Loki and it obviously reflected in his mentor, was that if they thought they could humiliate or acquire something easily, they would take an incredibly simple route and underestimate their opponent.

Darcy's mind raced as she reached down and grabbed him by both shoulders, she shoved him to the side, causing him to cry out in anger and surprise as she quickly snatched the orb in her marked hand. To her surprise, it felt . . . right. It was warm and wonderful and almost as if a severed limb had just magically been re-attached. She grinned brightly and then glared down at the man for a moment. Eldred snarled and reached out for her. Not knowing what would happen, but having every faith that she had seen enough of Loki's magic and read enough stories to accomplish this, she hurriedly grasped the orb in her unmarked hand and then gently rubbed her other hand in a smooth arc across the glowing surface. Eldred's eyes widened while Darcy thought of the fortress, of Loki's quarters. Electricity and cold air seemed to fizzle around her and she heard the sorcerer shout angrily as a flash of light overwhelmed her vision. She lurched forward, but then as the light faded she suddenly found herself standing in Loki's chambers. She cried out happily and congratulated herself.

"Ha! I knew I'd learned more about this place than just making bread!" she grinned and looked down at the orb. If her calculations were correct, and at least part of them were, this orb had all of Loki's powers as well as the foresight of the Norn Queen. She glanced around the room. In any game or story, the very best and first things to do would be to gather supplies; and while she did have the orb with all of Loki's incredible gifts, she also needed weapons much like his own. She hurried over to one of the smaller chests where lay an array of thin, and finely crafted daggers. She grabbed several wile reaching for a leather pouch also in the chest, placing them all safely inside facing the same direction. She accidentally made a slight cut on her left hand as she slipped the last dagger into the overstuffed pouch. She winced and quickly wiped the blood away, ignoring the sight of it for the first time in her life. She then hurried over to one of his wardrobes and, throwing the doors open, selected the same, large and polished walking stick they had used in the forest together. She pensively stroked its surface, allowing herself a moment to remember that wonderful and terrifying day. She had even been in the mouth of that hungry Lindwurm just to find the orb. No doubt that was exactly why Eldred had asked Loki to go after the orb instead of himself and Darcy couldn't blame the old sorcerer . Lindwurms were terrifying and according to one of the books she had read about Sylvanheim, they were one of the most prominent species of dragon on the realm . . . one of the only in fact. They were so vicious that even other dragons would . . .

"That's it," Darcy realized aloud, gripping the staff more tightly and then grasping the orb in the other. She wondered for a moment if she looked strange enough with just the pouch at her side, the orb in her hand, and the staff to make a decent cosplay character. She snickered inwardly at this, allowing joy as she created a most wonderful scheme. Perhaps the ability to plan something this cunning was also stemming from Loki's gifts in the orb. She could get rid of the old monster before he could do either of them any more harm. Loki was far gone and stripped of his powers and Darcy had no earthly or otherworldly idea as to how she would be able to return them to him, so this was up to her at the moment. She drew in a deep breath and squeezed her palm beneath the orb, allowing herself to appear in front of Eldred once more, long enough for her to be seen and then she squeezed the orb once again, gaining the trickster's unusual speed as she sought for something very specific. If memory served her correctly, the Lindwurms lived in the deeper forests and she could easily get there if she kept this speed. She had enough daggers to distract and sparsely wound the sorcerer in the meantime, but once they were close enough, Darcy knew that she could very well land the arrogant, old goat right where he belonged . . . a meal for a Lindwurm.

Loki hadn't been aware of anything further than the familiar sight of Midgard's blues, greens, browns, and whites as he tumbled through the atmosphere. Midgard was punishment and imprisonment of the worst kind for any creature stripped of their powers, but after his exploits it spelled something even worse. As fate would have it, and fate in this instance being both humorous and cruel, Loki hurdled through the sky, through a terrible rainstorm, and landed painfully on a familiar platform with a loud CRASH! He groaned, feeling more pain than ever before and recognizing the scent of cut stone, forced metal, and something else. A stream of blood trickled from his nose and mouth that he could feel, though he was sure other places were bleeding and broken as well. He lost consciousness every few seconds, regaining it halfway the rest of the time and sure that he was dreaming somehow. He saw images of the familiar Stark Tower platform. He must've landed there, that would explain the familiar scent, but it explained other things as well. Through the darkness coming and going in his vision and thoughts, he could make out images of the inventor, angered and delighted to have the trickster fall into his lap as it were. He remembered a device of some kind, a painful strain against the side of his head as Stark informed him that while he might have been an immortal 'Wormhole' adding that he thought wormhole was more clever than the name he deserved, he still had a central nervous system and that meant he could easily be paralyzed by . . . and here Loki lost consciousness yet again.

Stark had rendered him paralytic, but it was entirely unnecessary. Loki's unconsciousness lasted a good few hours; enough time for Stark to bypass calling upon Fury and the others and to instead call upon a group that would be far more interested and equipped in handling the trickster for the government which would've likely meant imprisonment and painful experimentation, no less than the trickster deserved, Stark reasoned, and it also gave the inventor time to secure his captive quietly and efficiently in the lowest level of the tower. The basement level acted as one of Stark's garages and was lined with lead and soundproof walls as well as several priceless cars, awards, and other objects that acted as a testimony to the inventor's genius and superfluous income. Once Loki was secured in the same steel-art chair that Stark had fused to the ground for reasons even he couldn't remember, Stark waited patiently for the trickster to awaken. Loki felt the effects of the paralyzing agent wear away as his mind returned and he began to groan, shaking his head and flexing his muscles. Panic started to force his blood to move all the faster as his vision cleared and he got a decent look at both his surroundings and his captor. Whether Eldred had planned it this way or not, this was beyond evil.

"Good, you're awake," Stark said casually. He set down the cup he had been holding, something to pass the time while he awaited his captive's return to the waking world. Loki began to strain a little at the metal shackles that had been fastened tightly around his wrists and to the arms of the chair.

"Release me," Loki commanded as sternly as he could with barely a voice in his throat for the time being. It was difficult enough to breathe, but anger and fear were helping to alleviate that. "This is no time for vengeance."

"Oh, this isn't about vengeance, little buddy, it's about kidnapping. Now you may not know this, but I've been helping the 'Missing and Exploited Children' foundation for a while and I've had some cracker-jack results with some new methods," Stark said with a grin. Loki growled and pulled at the bindings again, fear now taking more of a hold than anger. "Not to toot my own horn, or anything, but I just feel like I need to give something back, you know? And right now, I'm gonna give something back, or rather, you're going to give something back to me. But I'm not going to be unfair about this and I know how much you love games, so we're gonna play a game, you and me and stay out of it, Jarvis," he said, turning and pointing the club at the wall at nothing in particular that Loki could see. Surprise lit up the trickster's features as he heard another voice in the room from an unseen source.

"As you wish, sir, but I must warn you that federal agents have intercepted your interception and are now en route," the man's voice said. Stark sighed heavily and turned back to the wall, obviously the source of the voice itself.

"So how long do Green-eyes and I have until half time?" Stark asked, waiting impatiently for the answer.

"Forty five minutes tops," the voice replied.

"Half that time is on the Jersey Turnpike, too," Stark commented, leaning over the table across from his captive. "Okay, Green-eyes, here's how we're gonna play this. I've got a coin and I'm gonna toss it, then if it lands on tails I'm gonna smash a priceless object. Destruction, loss, frustration, your cup of tea and you win that round. Fun right?" Loki shifted anxiously at the man's voice as he drew closer and his gaze grew more intent on destruction than the other two. He leaned over him and held up the silver coin. "But if it lands on heads, I'm taking this nine iron and breaking your priceless head. Pain, screaming, aggravation, I win that round." Loki's heart sank and his stomach lurched at the thought of being subjected to this . . . an angry mortal with a crude weapon. He cursed Eldred more than ever before as he watched the man walk slowly back over to one of the counters lined with various objects. "Simple rules, right? Got it? Okay, round one." Stark tossed the coin high into the air and grabbed it in mid fall, slapping it down onto his wrist and glancing at it. He looked back at Loki with a sly grin. "Lucky you, tails first." He turned and drew in a deep breath, raising the club back and then bringing it down harshly on a large, crystalline statue. The sparkling shards flew in every direction and Loki found himself turning away instinctively at the possibility of being struck by the shards. "Okay, now I'm gonna ask you a question before the next round and if you answer right you win the whole game and everyone goes home happy. Well, I go home happy; you go to Trenton for a new set of friends and a full frontal lobotomy, but I don't break your head in the meantime. So . . ." he walked back over to where his captive sat and stood, still gripping the club in both hands. "Where is Darcy Lewis?"

"I don't know, I swear I don't know," Loki lied with earnest fervor, a first for him in a long time. "I have to find her . . ." he began stammering.

Tony patted him in mock affection on the shoulder and looked down into his terrified features. "Sorry, that really isn't the answer I was looking for," Stark replied as he took a few steps away. Loki groaned and pulled as hard as he could against the metal bindings as he watched Stark throwing the coin into the air, calmly watching it spin several times in great relish. "Round two."

"You're insane, do you hear me? Insane!" Loki shouted desperately. Stark scoffed at this and caught the coin, slapping it onto his wrist once more and then looking back at Loki silently. "She could be dying, she could be dead!"

"Yeah? Well, whose fault is that, Einstein?" he replied as he looked back at the coin. "Aw, come on!" he exclaimed angrily as he turned back to Loki, waving the club menacingly. "You're on a roll for now, but before I break something else, maybe you try to give that question another shot." The trickster drew in a deep breath and pulled at only one wrist for the moment, grunting in frustration. Stark shook his head. "Have it your way." Loki again turned away as Stark brought down the club violently on a glass man holding the image of a silver rocket. The glass shattered while the club left a painful indentation in the stand it had been sitting on. Stark breathed deeply and looked at the rest of the array of objects he had selected for the game. He sighed and used the edge of the club to swipe the glass that had landed on the shelf away. Loki turned back and watched the edge of the club accidentally strike a crystal swan in the process. "Crap," Stark muttered as it fell to the floor. He slowly looked back into Loki's eyes and grinned as he moved quickly towards his captive and raised the club menacingly over his head. "You got two. I get a free shot."

"Oh, please listen to me! Can't you just listen? Of all the damaged organs in your feeble body surely you can still hear!" Loki cried in sheer panic. Stark held the club aloft as Loki turned away again. Tony's heart raced erratically as he readied to strike the trembling immortal. "All-Father, help me!"

A loud ringing interrupted the two and Stark froze. "Damn it," he muttered. He dropped the club and reached into his pocket. "I need to remember to put the stupid thing on vibrate," he groaned as he reached into one of his pockets and withdrew his cell phone. He glanced at the phone's screen and then gestured angrily at his captive. "Do not move a muscle while I take this. Hello?"

Loki panted heavily as his captor turned away, covering one ear and talking into the device in a hushed tone. Having lost his natural gifts to Eldred before being stranded on earth, he was completely at the mercy of the very humans he had attacked not long ago. He thought about Eldred's final few words and where he had last seen Darcy. Perhaps if he simply told Stark that she was on Sylvanheim that would be enough to earn his freedom. He stifled growing panic and decided to do just that as his captor finished a short and curt conversation, turning the device in his hand off entirely and taking the club back in both hands. He raised it and aimed precisely. "Sylvanheim! She's on Sylvanheim!" Loki shouted defensively as he turned away yet again. He was unable to hide a few sobs in fear for both his own safety and for Darcy's life. "Please, let me find a way to return and save her!"

"Oh, you're gonna start crying now, is that it? Is that what you're gonna do?" Stark said mockingly. Loki was unable to fight off any further sobbing as the realization hit him that even with any compliance, there was little chance of escaping a rather dismal fate at the hands of Tony Stark and the people of his world. Stark frowned and sighed heavily. He released the club from one hand and tapped the immortal's shoulder opposite from the direction he leaned toward for safety. "Hey, Tinkerbell, stop it. You're embarrassing yourself; stop crying."

A natural shift in temper filled Loki heart and mind with a swelling of hostility replacing the fear. He whirled around and snarled at his captor. "I am not crying, you stunted ape," he shot back hatefully. Stark was taken aback by the sudden turn and hesitated, still keeping a hold on the club but now gauging the anger that surged through the trickster. Ignoring the pain in either wrist as he did so, Loki leaned as far forward as he could, speaking in a low tone. "Darcy is hiding in the forests of Sylvanheim fleeing from the unspeakable plotting of the evil sorcerer Eldred!"

"I'm still not seeing how this isn't your fault and that still doesn't tell me how to get to her, which is going to be question number two as soon as I finish this round," Stark replied.

"It is my fault! It's entirely my fault, all of it!" Loki shouted. Stark continued to hesitate, but tightened his grip on the weapon, waiting to raise it once more. "But without my insight you will not find them; not with all the gifts your pathetic little resistance offered and not with Thor."

"I'm pretty sure if we could get a hold of you that we could find a way to get to her after you tell me how to get there," Stark said.

Loki growled. "Eldred will be seeking them and the longer I am here the less likely it will be that I will be able to fully intervene on her behalf," he said in a low and primal tone. "And the longer you hold me captive, the more likely it will be that I will have to devise your abrupt end. I will not leave the fate of my beloved in the hands of a mere pawn; a heartless, fatherless weakling who . . ."

Stark's eyes widened in rage and he furiously, swiftly brought the club up and sliced downward, slamming the sturdy metal rod over the immortal's skull. A loud crack filled the room and Loki felt stunned. There was no pain for the first few moments and everything in the room suddenly turned a shade of red. He noticed, after the passing of a few seconds, that he was not breathing. He closed his eyes and coughed before drawing in a sharp breath. Pain set in almost immediately and the shade of red deepened while a flash of light also crossed his vision as he screamed in pain. Stark stepped back and delighted in the image of the immortal writhing in pain. He turned and walked back to the counter and quickly took one of the objects, a smaller crystal bottle of Cognac. He drank deeply from it and pushed aside the natural sadness that followed any anger at the mention of his father from a villain. He sighed and set the bottle back down as his captive centered himself and ceased shouting in pain. Stark grasped the coin once more and glanced at it.

"As I was saying, tell me how to get to Sylvan-hole or wherever it is you've got her," Stark said calmly. He watched Loki commence to fighting with the shackles on his wrists once more. Tony shook his head and tossed the coin into the air, grabbing it in mid-fall. He slammed it down onto his own wrist and looked down at the image. He smirked and pocketed the coin before taking the club in both hands. "Heads it is," he said turning back toward Loki and walking angrily in his direction again. "Here we go, ready? On three. One . . ."

"Every moment you hold me here you rob her of life!" Loki shouted furiously.

Stark ignored this and raised the club again. "Two . . ."

"Can't you reason? Think about this, about her, about everything you're destroying with this madness," Loki continued shouting desperately.

"Three," Stark said and readied to bring the weapon down on his captive's head once more.

"Oh my God!" a new voice shouted from the entranceway. Stark halted and turned while Loki turned away, closing his eyes and awaiting the next assault. "Mr. Stark what the hell is going on?"

"Not now, Pepper," Stark muttered as he turned back to Loki. Pepper ran forward, dropping the data assistant and taking hold of the club over her employer's hands. He grunted angrily and tried to pull the object away from her, finding it oddly difficult to do. He didn't think of her as a physical match, but she was proving to be more capable than he had ever considered. "Let go of this and let me handle the situation."

"Stop it, whatever you're doing it doesn't look right," Pepper countered and finally wrestled the club out of one hand. Stark recoiled away from her, taking the club with him and glaring back at both of them. Pepper turned to Loki and knelt, feeling for the digital locks on the restraints. "I am so sorry, sir. He can get a little out of hand every now and then."

"He's mad, mad I tell you," Loki said softly to her, still fighting the searing pain in his head. Pepper frowned as she noted that the locks were on a strict combination, one that she didn't know. She huffed and started trying several of the combinations she knew by heart. "Thank you, whoever you are, thank you. You are a lady of compassion."

"What are the numbers for the combination, Mr. Stark?" Pepper said loudly. Stark moved back toward the two, keeping a firm glare affixed in Loki's direction. Even if he got loose, he had been taken down a few necessary notches. Pepper glanced up at the man seated before her and she suddenly gasped, reaching up and touching the side of his head gingerly. "Oh my God, he's bleeding! What did you do?"

"He's allowing an innocent woman to die while he takes out his frustrations on the only being able to help her," Loki replied taking in the sight of the first truly intelligent human he had encountered since Darcy.

"Don't believe a word he says, Pepper. He was the one who started the whole mess and now the little weasel is trying to keep my cousin as a hostage while he does God knows what here," Stark said angrily. "Weasel."

"Stop it, already, and just give me the stupid numbers!" Pepper shouted.

"Green weasel," Stark continued.

"Sir, federal agents have reached the front door and are preparing to enter by force," Jarvis announced.

"_Ice_ weasel," Stark continued.

Loki roared at this, causing Pepper to jump backwards, He pulled as hard as he could against the shackles with mortal strength, finding that only bruising was occurring for now. He shouted and began furiously, aimlessly, pulling and fighting with the cuffs. Pepper stood and moved away, glaring at her employer. "Do you really think this is helping? What the heck is going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on, there's the little scheister responsible for the Great Manhattan Caper two months ago and now he's got Darcy as a captive, that's what's going on," Stark snapped. Pepper held her ground, still staring angrily at him as he moved a pace closer to her. "And if I don't beat the location and the means of getting there out of him, something else no one could do, not at S.H.I.E.L.D. and apparently not at home," he shouted, glancing in Loki's direction for a beat and then turning back to Pepper. "I'm going to lose the last chance I have for any blood relations outside of any I make myself."

"Sir, I must inform you that . . ." Jarvis began, but neither Tony nor Pepper could make out most of the words as the sound of a loud clanging and crash met them. They turned and Tony raised one brow in surprise as he saw that Loki had managed not to free himself from the shackles, but to loose the chair from the floor . . . then promptly fall over in it.

Stark sighed heavily and dropped both arms to his sides. "Great, that thing cost me 8 grand," he complained. Pepper shook her head and then turned back to one of the control panels on the wall as Tony began hurriedly moving towards Loki, still fighting with the metal around him. "Should've invested in antiquing . . . a rack would've been a better choice anyway."

"Jarvis, can you repeat what was last said?" Pepper asked with a sigh. She turned and watched her employer lift the chair back to its normal position and then walked away swiftly, sweeping the golf club back into his hands. She groaned and hurried back over to him.

"I was just going to inform you of the impending arrival of . . ." Jarvis began.

"No need," a familiar voice announced. All three in the room turned to the doorway as a figure dressed in a smart, black suit and trademark grin entered. Loki's eyes widened in recognition of the agent he had mortally wounded, leaving a healing stone to take care of the rest, the one that had prompted the heroes into action and reforged part of the Destroyer into a weapon. Agent Phil Coulson stepped into the room and frowned at both Tony Stark and Loki in turn. "I'm already here."


	54. A Birthright and Brotherhood

_(((To answer one exuberant and kind reader, no, this is not a Hellboy crossover nor was it meant to be. It just made sense to me to have the BPRD present and kind of at odds with SHIELD since they are answering to a secretive world council where the BPRD answers to agreeing governments overseen by the USA . . . not to mention both Hellboy and Captain America really don't like Nazis. Also, the concept of the magical world on Earth/Midgard adds something necessary to the element of having Loki as a magical creature. In the comic book series he's actually half-Asgardian and is the bastard son of Odin and Laufey's wife . . . bet that made Frigga happy, but I've had an overwhelmingly positive response in having him as a half-elf which does actually make more sense given his appearance and powers. Once again, goodbye Ray Bradbury! See you on Samhain -at least in spirit-!)))_

Chapter 54: A Birthright and Brotherhood

Loki stared in amazement at the agent as he stepped into the room and looked unhappily at Stark and the trickster. Stark glared at him, though he also appeared to try to be keeping his mood cordial toward the man he had learned to call a close friend. Pepper straightened herself as Stark tossed the club to the side and moved to stand between the new arrival and the captive. Coulson sighed heavily and frowned at his friend.

"You never drop by to just visit, do you?" Stark commented half with humor and half with anxiousness. Coulson's expression grew even more serious. "Who's got what aimed at where, this time?"

"The World Security Council, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s operating system . . . they know he's here," Coulson replied unhappily gesturing towards Loki. Stark turned to glance at the trickster for a moment then back to the unhappy agent, lifting both hands carefree and lifting both brows inquisitively. "Thanks to your little tip to the government every other government now knows, too and the council is demanding that we use whatever information we get from _**him**_ to move forward with Phase 2."

"You're welcome for the heads up," Stark added with sarcasm as Coulson shook his head and hurried past him, moving to Loki's side opposite Pepper and began to look at the shackles with aggravation. Stark huffed and pointed a finger angrily at the agent. "I did everyone a favor . . . he's not here for a weekend in Vegas you know."

"Yeah, and Fury told me that if the Feds get a hold of everything they want for Phase 2 that a nuclear threat will look like a round of blanks against a wall of balloons," Coulson replied sharply. "We can't let them have him."

"And what do you suggest we do? Put down some newspaper in the guestroom and give him a bowl of water?" Stark replied more hotly than before. Pepper muttered something unpleasant under her breath as both she and Coulson continued to try and undo the bindings; Loki appearing all the more irritated and desperate all the while. "Because I'm not letting him outside, not for anything, got that?" Stark added firmly. He turned and glared hatefully at Loki. He finally had one blood relative that he could call his own, someone to actually sit on his side of the church at his wedding, and Loki had taken her . . . twice. Wherever the little creep had her at the moment, Stark wasn't giving up on bringing her back. He growled inwardly and continued to glare at his hostage while Coulson retrieved a data interpreter, trying to ascertain the codes using it without need of Stark's cooperation any longer. Loki felt a wave of panic and despair hit him once again as Coulson remarked that even he was getting nothing with a device that usually worked. He turned his gaze up to Stark's with nowhere else to turn. Despite the energy surging within the arc reactor at his chest, Stark felt his heart stop for a beat at the genuine and familiar look in the trickster's eyes. He had only seen this kind of desperation in the eyes of a human or humanoid once before . . . Yinsen. He closed his eyes for a moment and turned away angrily, balling one hand into a fist. In the back of his mind, Loki's words repeated from moments before; "_Please, let me save her, I have to help her, she needs me_." The inventor groaned and sighed. There were no other options at the moment and his instinct, something he had never ignored before, told him to do the unthinkable, the unwise, and trust the Asgardian. He rolled his eyes and spoke clearly. "8-6-7-5-3-0-9, Jarvis, release." Everyone else in the room froze and looked at Stark in confusion. He looked away in slight embarrassment. "What? It's a great song? Now get him out of here before I . . ."

"It didn't work," Pepper said loudly as she and Coulson continued to look over the cuffs. "Try something else."

"Uh, that's the code. Jarvis, seriously, 8-6-7-5-3-0-9, release, pronto!" Stark said even louder. "Jarvis?"

"Sir, it appears that other federal agents are trying to gain access and their equipment has scrambled the signal to the restraints. There is no undoing them until I can reconfigure . . ." Jarvis explained, his smooth, electronic voice suddenly overwhelmed by a chorus of disappointment.

The elevator doors opened once more. Stark grabbed the club again, ready to beat away anyone that interfered now. There was, after all, nothing to lose and if Coulson was to be believed, which he usually was, then there was more at stake in handing Loki over to the authorities than letting him loose on the city again. Stark's expression softened and a small measure of relief moved through him as another familiar figure entered the room in full-spangled uniform.

"Agent Coulson, what's the hold-up? They're swarming the entrance," Steve Rogers announced, ignoring Stark entirely as he approached the agent. Stark scoffed at the display and turned back to the door, ready to defend if the occasion called for it. Rogers now stood in front of the three surrounding the chair and frowned at the situation. "What's going on?"

"The cuffs on the chair are wired in Stark's mainframe and the feds have crashed the OS," Coulson replied angrily. He looked back at Rogers in frustration. "We're kind of at a dead end."

"What do you mean dead end? I'm surprised you're even letting him keep you here; don't you have magic or ice powers or something?" Rogers asked, pointing at Loki almost accusingly. "Come on, can't you get yourself out of that?"

"_**I do not have ice powers**_!" Loki shouted furiously and more loudly than ever. It caused everyone in the room to ironically freeze and shrink back a few paces. The trickster's expression then fell and he began to sob again. "I have nothing, no magic! Eldred stripped me of everything I had acquired . . . centuries of effort gone!" Pepper, Stark, and Coulson sighed and shook their heads as Loki closed his eyes pitifully. "Gone and then Darcy will be gone, too! Everything I love . . . everything I desire . . . she was all I . . ."

"Hey! Stop feeling sorry for yourself; this is no time for that," Rogers said firmly. Loki slowly looked back up at him, glaring angrily. "Whoever that was took away what you learned, but you weren't born human . . . you still have at least something more than we do. You're not the same as Thor, but aren't you still magical?"

Magical . . . A light went on behind Loki's eyes. The trickster hadn't thought of that and, while he was furious with himself for not having the intuition, he was overjoyed with this sudden window and could've kissed the shield-bearer right on the mouth had he not been pre-occupied and entirely against affection that wasn't geared towards Darcy or his mother. He drew in a deep breath. Yes, he was still magical and there was more to him than Jotun. He had seen Tapio in the form of an enormous bear and he knew well that all of Alfskind had gifts that allowed them to use natural energies either to transform . . . or to transport. He wouldn't have the power to transport himself, even as a full-blooded elf, back to Sylvanheim, but he knew that he could get the attention of someone else who could.

He grinned at the shield-bearer for a moment, hoping to find some way to thank him in the future, and then closed his eyes tightly, concentrating all the energy he could muster on his entire structure and the structure he wanted to become. A cunning creature, a swift creature, something that could get past these humans (regardless of their intent) and all the others as quickly as possible before calling out to Heimdall. He breathed carefully and felt his form shift, his bones warping and shrinking as fur covered his body and his ears and eyes enlarged . . . while a big, fluffy tail formed behind him. Pepper gasped as the trickster's presence was replaced suddenly by a black-furred, green-eyed fox. He barked twice at the four in the room, smiling proudly and bounding towards the stairwell beside the elevator.

"Farewell, mortals!" Loki shouted happily. The four stared wide-eyed as the trickster disappeared up the stairs as if he hadn't even needed to open the glass doors. "I shall repay you, Shield-bearer!"

"Sir, the federal agents at the entrance have made their way to the third floor," Jarvis announced. Stark sighed heavily and turned back to Rogers and Coulson.

"Great. You know who I got to come and get him?" Stark snapped.

"The Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense," Coulson replied with a heavy tone. "Who else is going to brag to the rest of the world summit of security that they have an Asgardian before they even had him?"

"Yeah, well other than bragging they just happen to have a team with angrier guns than we do," Stark muttered as he took Pepper by the hand, the woman shaking her head with disappointment at her lover and employer. He led the way to the elevator, gesturing for Rogers and Coulson to follow him. "You know they're going to break half my stuff before they leave, right?"

"I wouldn't count on that," Rogers corrected as the elevator doors closed. He turned and smirked slyly at his friend. Stark looked back at the Captain inquisitively. "I'm one hell of a negotiator."

"Well that's perfect," Stark replied as the elevator began to ascend rapidly and Jarvis announced their arrival. "Because they've got one hell of a team."

(*)

Heimdall's messenger reached Odin seconds after he had heard Loki shouting for him from the surface of the realm of Midgard. Thor and the Warriors Three accompanied by the Lady Sif arrived as well, nonplussed that they had been unable to secure Loki. Drifa had briefly been able to tell Volstagg that the trickster was still needed on Sylvanheim and that she was still unsure of what he needed from her. Before Volstagg could ask any further questions, Drifa had quickly closed the door and told them to 'go away'. Thor cursed inwardly, repeating over and over to himself that of course his brother wouldn't be where he was supposed to have been. Nothing Loki had done in the past year had made a tablespoon of sense, not that making sense was something Thor treasured, but it was something Loki had excelled at until most recently. He growled and lowered his gaze as he approached his father and knelt. Odin raised a hand, signaling for silence from his son and the warriors while Heimdall's messenger relayed the trickster's location and request. The All-Father grinned and turned back to Thor, though speaking to the messenger.

"Go and tell Heimdall to retrieve my son, Loki, and to send him to Sylvanheim . . . where he desires," Odin said firmly. Thor looked back at his father in confusion for a beat as Odin continued. "And that he will send my son, Thor, to join him."


	55. Darcy's Doubt, Loki's Plan, Thor's Hamme

Chapter 55: Darcy's Doubt, Loki's Plan, Thor's Hammer

Darcy groaned and shuddered as she leaned against one of the larger trees. The sun had been shrouded by storm clouds and a cooler breeze seemed to be filling the forest. "He's trying to get me to go back to the fortress, "she realized aloud. "He'll make it as uncomfortable as possible to be out here if he can." She felt a strange swirling of energy within her and an odd sensation. Darcy had almost forgotten that she was growing short on time with her expectancy (she really didn't know how much time she would've had in the first place being impregnated with the child of a hybrid Jotun and Alfskind prince, but she had also been subjected to several forms of magic recently. The sensation moved through her again and she grasped her belly instinctively as she felt the form of the unborn child's hand sweep across its mother's womb as it turned over once again.

Darcy gasped and grinned instinctively, then the grin slowly faded as she felt panic beginning to form in the back of her mind at the thought about the fact that she was not only in need of being protected, but also in need of protecting her own offspring. She sighed heavily and clutched her belly tightly as if trying to pull the infant even closer to her as she took a few steps forward. Was she doing something that would work as she planned inwardly? How could she move quickly enough or cunningly enough to ensure that the lindwurm would devour Eldred; how could she be sure that Eldred would even follow her if he sensed a dragon nearby? She gripped the orb once more and felt a surge of strange energy move through her chest; it was almost like confidence, but there was something else to it . . . a deep reassurance that stemmed from a preparedness she hadn't known and may not ever have known. That kind of reassurance stemmed from centuries of planning and having magic that coursed deep in the trickster's veins.

Then she saw something else, an answer to a question she had wanted to ask him, at one point shout at him, but that she had been unable to ask before and had almost forgotten to think about. She looked into the trickster's thoughts between the time of his return from the attempt to conquer earth until the night they had first been together. Tears filled her and she felt a solemn ache grow as she was reassured in an entirely different manner. He had loved her and told himself that he would have to live out the rest of his life far away from his brother after making her his own, repeating that after having come to know her smile, her humors, and her spirit that he couldn't live again without them and he certainly couldn't give this kind of goodness up to his brother no matter how much the older prince had right to claim her. Loki had truly loved her, not the name itself. She drew in a deep breath and knelt, taking the orb in both hands and trying to concentrate on where she could stay for a few moments; close enough to the nearest lindwurm to summon it at any given second and close enough to Eldred to keep him in a false sense of triumph over her location.

Warm, swirling, glowing light seemed to penetrate her thoughts, slithering and slinking around every idea as they searched each and every notion for what it lacked and supplementing it until she felt that she had no less than three dozen perfect schemes. Sadly, she could only use one and the hardest part would be to pluck one from this inner ether and try to more deeply, consciously comprehend it as if having passed herself a note during some class where the teacher was giving her everything she already knew. A smile crossed her features as she came across the very note she needed and, with an invisible hand in her mind, snatched it up tightly and held it aloft. She inwardly unfolded it, taking in every detail that Loki's magic and the power of the realm along with the orb had given her. She opened her eyes and stood slowly, turning towards the sun as it rose to the center of the sky. This would all be over, all of it, before nightfall. With another grip on the orb, Darcy willed herself towards a deeper part of the forest, a part that held some of the caves and strange stone formations that she had briefly seen with Loki before. A sinking feeling filled her and part of her knew that it was Eldred trying to fill her with crippling doubt, but part of her feared that she would never see anything on this world with Loki ever again.

(*)

Thor glanced around the greenery of Sylvanheim and then suddenly noticed the small fox that had materialized beside him. It raised itself on its hind legs and swiftly became his brother. He stared at Loki with cautious amazement then quickly reached out and seized the trickster by the throat. It had been a long and arduous task keeping up with the family and with their father's changing notions since his coronation had gone awry and all of it, every step of it, stemmed from Loki's treachery. Deserving of compassion or not, he was fed up with the nonsense the trickster was constantly plotting or carrying out as of late and the deception that inevitably went along with it. Loki tried to speak for a moment, but then thought about how in the way his older brother would be in trying to get rid of Eldred. No doubt the sorcerer would use him in some way and Thor would be powerless to stop him. Thor noted the look of arrogance and contempt in his brother's eyes for a beat, no remorse for having lied about waiting in Drifa's dwelling. He tightened his grip around Loki's throat and snarled at him. The trickster coughed and contemplated disappearing, but thought it best to conserve any energy for Darcy's rescue and Eldred's demise at the moment. Instead, he tried to think of how best to distract his brother. It would be relatively easy given that he was already emotionally compromised and never had been terribly bright. The difficult part was in not being able to use the newer and better forms of magic he had learned. He would have to go back to the basics, back to what he had when they were children and his talent had been discovered.

"I grow tired of being sent to collect you with every incident you create," Thor said angrily.

"Believe me, I am just as tired of you being sent as you are of being sent to do so," Loki retorted. Thor tightened his grip even more causing the trickster to gasp and a twinge of fear to move through him. It suddenly occurred to him that his brother had the strength to kill and in his anger he had done many things, killed many things, that he regretted. "Let go."

"No, not this time. This time you're coming back to speak with father even if I have to . . ." Thor began. He was cut short when Loki's mind finally settled on one thing that had worked in childhood. It had only been tried on a few occasions, but then again it worked so well that he didn't really find it necessary to use it that often. Being so enraged and used to the trickster's new schemes, Thor had forgotten to brace or protect himself and even his armor didn't cover everything. In their youth, this had been a last resort since it seemed the most underhanded thing possible for the younger prince to do in his own defense, but he had done so many underhanded things since then that now it seemed like nothing. Loki watched his brother gasp and sink to the ground, bowed forward in shock and pain as the trickster finished slamming his knee-cap into his brother's groin. Thor knelt on the ground, feeling his head spin and noting that the world around him appeared now to be covered by a strange, scarlet hue.

"I told you to let go," Loki muttered, straightening himself and then gathering his natural senses. Eldred and Darcy would still be in the deeper parts of the forest. He turned back to Thor for a moment and, growling, balled one hand into a fist and punched the side of his brother's head, sending him reeling a few inches more as he stepped back and discerned whether or not he could count on the older to be distracted enough for the time being. "Now, stay put." Thor seemed overwhelmed by the display and its after effects. Pleased, Loki turned towards the forest and knelt, willing his form back into the fox and bounding deep into the forest.

(*)

Darcy clung to the staff that she had carefully kept hold of, her hands cold and trembling as she looked around where the orb had led her. There was a cave nearby, but she couldn't hear any unusual sounds. No roaring, no loud breathing, no heavy footsteps consistent with a dragon. She groaned and leaned against a tree beginning to sob a little at the thought of being so pursued and cornered. She clutched her hand over her belly defensively and a wave of nausea moved through her. She looked down, terrified of what she was obviously going to see. As she turned her gaze downward she saw that the magic used from the orb had a direct effect on her and the unborn. She had swollen significantly and now looked as if she was at least six months into the pregnancy. Darcy felt suddenly overwhelmed by all of this; separated from the world she had always known with all of its modern and wonderful advances only to be separated from the villain that she had grown to love and to carry his child while now being chased by a being that was more evil than anything she had ever read about in any fiction. She squeezed her eyes closed, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks as she sank to the ground, dropping the orb and clutching her midsection with both hands as she screamed loudly; the scream fading into a lament at realizing that she would certainly never see earth again, but now she was also certain she would never see Loki again either.

(*)

On the rest of Sylvanheim, three different beings heard the scream with three different responses. Eldred, who heard the scream first being closest to her, grinned. He wanted this to be more sport than efficient since this was a mortal and mortals were a rare treat. He knelt and brought himself to standing on his hands and knees, drawing his chin towards his chest and chuckling to himself at how clever he had been to wear the enchanted pelt that he had repaired. His eyes grew a fierce yellow as the wolf's skin covered his body and churned his innards, warping his bones and organs into their lupine form with his magic. He tilted his head backwards as the transformation was complete and howled triumphantly before bounding off towards the scream.

Not too far away a black fox halted its movements and sniffed the air, its eyes gleaming in terror. "Darcy," Loki whispered sadly. He turned for a moment, considering the notion of going and retrieving his brother for assistance. He knew, despite his natural magical strength and skills as half an elf, that Eldred's powers still exceeded his own and with his acquired gifts still residing in the orb he would die in the fight. There was no guarantee that Thor could help as much as he needed and it would be difficult for a warrior, even one with the powers of thunder and lightning coupled with the unstoppable Mjolnir were a hard match for an ancient sorcerer with no regard for life. He glanced from side to side and thought quickly, his ears twitching anxiously as he tried to formulate a plan.

If he could only get the Norn Queen's Eye to relinquish his powers back to him, to take Darcy's marking away, and to refute aid to Eldred he could easily best the sorcerer with his brother's help as a distraction. He grunted, tail swishing as many ideas played through his thoughts. The only one with that kind of power was the Norn Queen herself and Loki couldn't transport himself there without his power. His ears perked up as he realized that someone else did; Darcy. She had proven to be a most extraordinary human before and surely she could have his powers restored to him in no time with the charm she exuded. The Norn Queen would take great pity and joy in her all at once. He barked furiously and flew further into the forest towards the sound of the girl's continued weeping. "I'm coming, Darcy!"

Still regaining his composure, Thor suddenly heard Darcy's scream and his heart ached. Darcy wasn't as intimately attached to him as Jane, but she had done her best to help him and she cared for him deeply, even going as far as to try and help save his friends' lives and obviously lying to save Jane's life, too. He growled and gripped Mjolnir tightly, allowing it to extend to its fullest length as he raised it towards the heavens. Thor was a man of action and wasted no time in trying to think up a plan or transform into a better creature for travel or attack like Loki and Eldred. Instead, Thor summoned several bolts of lightning, shouting furiously as they struck the hammer and power moved through his entire body. He then pulled the hammer back and began to swing it hurriedly in a circle. He growled even more loudly as power gathered within it. He listened carefully for the crying and aimed the hammer towards it. No matter how many trees were harmed in the process, Thor was determined to save the young woman that had clearly been through so much. He hurled the hammer forward and allowed his body to take flight behind it. _I'm coming for you, Darcy_, he thought to himself. His eyes narrowed as the flight continued. _And then I'm coming for you, __**brother**_.

(*)

Eldred took his time, circling the area and savoring the mortal's suffering as Loki leapt into the clearing where Darcy had arrived. The despair that he was projecting into her mind was taking a deliciously efficacious toll on her. Darcy suddenly noticed the black fox and her heart leapt. Loki stared anxiously at the girl's swollen belly and groaned a little as he stared up at her.

"Loki?" she asked hopefully.

"Darcy," he said with relief as, in one swift move, he transformed and caught her in both his arms tightly, gripping every inch of her possible as they knelt on the forest floor. After a moment that soothed all the despair that Eldred had managed to instill. He pulled away from her and gently cradled her face in his hands as he stared into her eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked, wiping away her tears with his thumbs as he assessed the rest of her condition. She nodded and he leaned forward, deeply kissing her forehead for a moment and then once again pulling away, staring firmly into her trembling gaze. "Darcy, I cannot defeat Eldred, I cannot protect you, not like this."

Darcy let out a tiny shriek at his words and more tears began to stream down her cheeks. He tightened his grip on either side of her head and stared firmly at her. "What are we going to do?" she asked through a sob. "I'm just a human, I haven't been able to do anything to help . . . ever. What am I supposed to do to help? I don't want you to die, I don't want to die, I don't want our . . ." her voice trailed off as she glanced down at her belly and sobbed a little harder. Loki heard a loud snarl from not far away. Eldred; he knew that sound and it was most certainly the sorcerer in his wolf's pelt. Loki sternly took both the girl's hands in his and stood quickly. He then swiftly knelt and took the orb once more, placing it in her hands and placing his own around them. She looked up at him in confusion. "Wait, I-I-I can't do your job. I mean, I've been able to use some of your power, but I can't do everything you could!" she protested. Loki frowned as he realized that Eldred's doubt and despair were still lingering in her exaggerated by the emotional complications of expecting a child. He breathed deeply and pressed his forehead against hers. "I can't . . ."

"You cannot help me here, Darcy," Loki interjected firmly. She frowned and looked at him in confusion. He squeezed his hands around the orb and smiled at her. "You offered once before to be my herald before the Norn Queen, I accept your offer. You will be able to use my gifts through this orb to travel to Nornheim. Once there, you will have only to speak to the Queen to ask her to return my powers, remove your marking, and keep the Eye's power from Eldred once and for all."

"What about you? I can't leave you!" she argued desperately. Loki frowned and smoothed a lock of her long, dark hair out of her face. She quivered as he softly touched the side of her face and looked calmly into her eyes. She breathed heavily. "I won't leave you alone . . . not like this."

"I won't be alone," Loki reassured, squeezing their hands against the orb yet again. Darcy felt her marking grow warm and pulse with each time he pressed her hand against it. The two heard the growling yet again, but then another sound met them. Several trees burst, their wooden splinters flying in several directions not far from where the two stood and the ground sprayed soil upward as a large Asgardian collided with its surface. The two watched as not far away, the dust, wood, and dirt cleared and the large form of Thor became visible. Loki grinned and then turned back to Darcy who was still staring in disbelief. "Let my brother see to me. You look after the orb," he ordered firmly. Darcy's mouth opened as she tried to form a protest. He quickly placed a hand over her belly, knowing the best way to get her to agree with him at once. "You look after the orb and our child."

Darcy nodded quickly, looking into his eyes and seeing a genuine faith in her as well as a genuine desire to fight alongside his brother and not to stand in his way this time. While Darcy wasn't sure Thor could do very much to get rid of Eldred, having seen him nearly die as a mortal after all, she was sure that with Loki's cleverness they were a decent match for him. Even without his powers, Loki was intelligent enough to have some form of an upper hand in the situation. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, tenderly for a beat and then pressed her hands against the orb, whispering to her the description of Nornheim and the portal to find it. The power within the orb surged and in a flash Darcy disappeared. Loki felt his heart ache at her disappearance. She was capable and this would lead to victory, but all separation was painful now. He felt a tear of his own trickle down the side of his face. A loud snarl shook him back to the situation at hand and he furiously wiped the tear away. He turned and looked toward the furious figure of Thor who stormed towards him, having seen Darcy disappear from his embrace.

"Brother!" Thor shouted angrily. "What have you done?"

Loki grinned, sensing that Eldred was not far away. It would take very little to get the Asgardian's wrath turned in the right direction and hurl it at the sorcerer. The trickster grinned brightly. "Come closer, Thor," Loki taunted as he sensed Eldred moving even closer. "Come and face the sorcerer." Thor glared hatefully at Loki, not noticing the creature crouching behind him. It's glowing eyes were locked on the trickster who seemed unthreatened by its presence.


	56. Undone by Death Renewed by Darcy

_(((I went to the Century 16 many times while livin in Denver and Golden in my teen years. My heart goes out particularly to the families of the people who lost loved ones (especially the little girl, Veronica, and the people from Buckley where my father once worked). Our prayers and thoughts are with them. This is my longest and possibly one of my most graphic chapters written in only 2 hours and I'm in the middle of a series of proceddures for the next 2 weeks. This may very well stand as my secondary Opus. But this is by no means the last chapter; Loki still has to become a father, repay Captain America, and give the tribute he owes to Surtur! Read on, my friends, read on!)))_

Chapter 56: Undone By Death Renewed by Darcy

Darcy felt even stranger than she had when she had traveled with Loki alone. Having the magic radiating throughout at least part of her without the trickster overseeing its use was a little frightening. She breathed heavily for a moment and then realized that not only did she not know exactly how to get around this new realm or how to get to the very being that she needed to speak to, but she was completely at a loss as to how to approach anyone or anything here. She began to tremble ever so slightly as she reassured herself inwardly that if she could survive more than a month at the mercy of the trickster, more than half of the time having kept up an obvious lie to him, then it shouldn't be too difficult to ask for directions and to have an effective audience with the Norn Queen. The trembling ceased as she finished consoling herself with reminders that she had survived an attack by a lindwurm, a demon, and even the malevolent spirit of a frost giant. She breathed deeply, closed her eyes, and squeezed the orb, trying to use Loki's gift of vision to determine where she was and where she needed to be. To her surprise, she saw nothing from the orb and the mark on her hand didn't even ignite with warmth at its presence. She gasped and opened her eyes. The orb was clear and still again, no swirling colours or movement whatsoever. She grunted in frustration and shook the orb as if it was just a faulty cell phone. She cried out a little more loudly as the orb not only didn't go back to its colours and warmth, but instead grew cold, heavy, and black.

Her eyes went wide as she suddenly noticed something else. She dropped the orb, which fell lifelessly to the ground in a loud 'thud' and she screamed more loudly than she had done on Sylvanheim. She grasped her belly which had grown enormous and looked as if she were at full term. Her scream once again faded into sobs as she sank to her knees as pain began to radiate throughout her small frame. She leaned back against a nearby tree, glaring hatefully at the orb for a moment and then feeling sadness fill her alongside even greater pain. Magic had compromised everything around her; it had compromised where she felt at home, who she truly loved, what she really wanted, and now how she would spend the next eighteen years at the very least. There was no stopping this, and overwhelmed by these pangs and what was surely to follow, Darcy knew that there was no way in any universe that she could save Loki now. She wailed as another stab of pain moved through her.

Darcy was unable, through her pain and desperation, to see and hear as another figure joined her. The woman was humanoid, like those of Asgard and even the elves, but more Asgardian than Alfskind. She wore simple, yet glowing blue and silver robes with almost flawless ivory skin despite appearing through a few wrinkles that she was far older than even Odin himself. Her eyes glowed black at the moment and she had a pleasant smile, a comforting and genuine smile that would've lifted Darcy's spirit had she been able to see and hear through her own tragedies. The woman's shoulder-length platinum hair was thick and interwoven with a few strands of what humans would've called Spanish moss, trailing longer than the hair itself over her robes and down her back. The woman knelt silently and retrieved the orb, glancing over it cautiously and then turning silently to Darcy and frowning. Still unaware of the woman, Darcy covered her face in her hands and sobbed all the harder as the fear of what she was about to endure grew even greater.

The woman approached the young human and silently knelt, keeping the orb in one hand effortlessly, and gently placing her hand over the girl's belly with the other. Darcy jumped at this new presence and let out a small shriek. Before she could move again, the woman looked up and into her eyes. Their darkness and depth did upset Darcy ever so slightly, black eyes usually signifying some sort of evil or emptiness to humans, but they also commanded her to be still and calm which she obliged almost instantly. The woman smiled and pressed her palm against Darcy's solar plexus more firmly and the protrusion began to shrink. Darcy's heart began to slow down and her breathing evened out as the protrusion went back to being only a small hint of what would join her life shortly. The woman grinned and slowly withdrew her hand as she spoke.

"There, now. It isn't time for you to arrive yet, my dear, and excess in early arrival is just as unsettling as tardiness . . . in any case," the woman said smoothly. Darcy looked up at her in surprise as she gently reached down with the hand free of the orb and helped her to stand. Darcy's eyes widened in realization that the very same colour and depth in the woman's eyes matched the orb.

"You, you're the Norn Queen!" Darcy exclaimed. The woman beamed and squeezed Darcy's hand once before releasing it and then looking back down at the orb in her hand pensively. "I-I brought that back to you. It has Loki's power in it and he has to have it back; he has to get it back now before Eldred kills him!"

The woman laughed at this which almost made Darcy snarl at her angrily. She might not have been as far along in her emotional and physical turmoil any longer, but she was still compromised by all of the distress put together. The Norn Queen smiled kindly and held the orb more fully in front of her and gazed into it, swiping a hand gently over its surface. "I see what you mean," she replied. "And I also see your confusion. This was, indeed, an orb of vision, but like so many of the relics from Nornheim, my kingdom, it bears a number of powers pleasant and otherwise that are known and unknown by even the most learned of sorcerer's. It was able to take Loki's gifts he had acquired only because he has not yet learned how to harness them fully for the balance of the universe around him."

Darcy shook her head. She didn't have time for any spiritual revelations for him or any philosophy . . . her beloved was in danger. She looked at the Norn Queen desperately. "But he needs them back now, he has to have them, he just has to!" she argued. The woman sighed and nodded, verbally acknowledging the need and her intention to help. Relief filled her momentarily and the Norn Queen took a step towards her. "Thank goodness. I was afraid this was going to get all weird like it started to get on Asgard."

"The power can be restored to him once taken from the orb," the Queen said as she slipped the fingers of one hand into the orb's surface. Darcy gasped in surprise as the woman's hand eased into the orb itself as if it were made of water or something else entirely. It had been quite solid when she had held it! The Norn Queen's wrist turned and moved slightly from one side to the other for a moment and then she withdrew a ball of light with wisps of green and yellow swirling around it. She smirked and then held it out to Darcy who cautiously reached out to receive it. "You won't be able to carry it like that, you know. You'll have to carry it within you, so I suggest you take the easiest route in dealing with the situation and swallow it." Darcy stared back at the woman in disbelief for a beat. The Norn Queen gazed back, unfazed and waiting for Darcy to comply. The girl shuddered and sighed. Wierder things had happened over the past few days. She pulled the glowing mass towards her mouth and hurriedly swallowed the twisting mass of energy. There was no flavor, no strange sensation, nothing whatsoever. Darcy found this alone to be odd, but said nothing as she tried to form the words to ask how to get back to Sylvanheim and give him the powers. "Well, I can send you back presently if you wish," the woman replied as if able to read the girl's mind. "Now you shall just have to find a way to put it back into him."

"What?" Darcy exclaimed. "How am I supposed to do that? I've swallowed it!"

"The same way any creature of legend is empowered by a human, their legends must be recited," the woman chuckled as if Darcy had forgotten something obvious. Darcy frowned at her prompting the Norn Queen to clear her throat and kindly continue with her instructions. "You should simply find a place where your voice can be heard . . . widely," the woman replied. The orb began to glow a faint hue of purple and the queen's eyes slowly began to glow and shift with the same colour. "And speak aloud every gift, every feat you remember about him in turn. Once spoken aloud, they will return to him."

Again, this seemed a little more than unusual even for the strange realms she had found herself in, but Darcy decided that in the case of being in the presence of a woman that had been able to spare her a premature birthing, she would do exactly as she was told. She called to mind everything she had read in Dr. Selvig's library book, the one he had brought back to them at the facility in New Mexico, as well as everything she had read in his diaries and other books of legend. She felt the world shift beneath her as the Norn Queen grinned and bid her a pleasant goodbye, thanking her for the return of the orb. Darcy swiftly recited every detail inwardly as the realm of Sylvanheim re-materialized around her. She breathed deeply and looked up overhead at the clouds that had formed over the deep forest. No doubt Eldred was there already fighting with Loki. She wondered if she still had his gifts available to use within her and closed her eyes, thinking about the room she had been given in the fortress and how the enormous window had opened to face the forest.

To her relief, she had indeed appeared in the room with the large window and she hurriedly flung open the shutters on the window. She drew in a deep breath and mouthed a quick prayer that this would work the first time. Darcy suddenly felt a similar, strange warmth on the hand that had borne the marking when she had first touched the orb. She looked down and groaned. The marking was still there. Shouldn't giving the Eye back to the Nor Queen have done away with this silly mark? An inner voice chastised her for thinking about some blemish on her palm when she should've been doing exactly as the Norn Queen had instructed. Another inner voice sparkled with realization and instinctively told Darcy that her hand needed to be raised and aimed towards the forest for her voice to truly be heard and the magic to be released back to its rightful owner. Darcy drew in a deep breath and, not really knowing how to begin, simply began reciting in the same way the book Selvig had brought introduced the trickster. She cleared her throat.

"And also in Asgard there was the younger son of Odin, Loki, whose power and prowess were grand indeed. For while Thor, his brother, wielded might and strength, Loki wielded magic and strategy," she began. Darcy glanced up at her hand raised out the window itself and noted that the green mist that had formed the mass of energy she had swallowed now seemed to be slowly emitting from her hand. She grinned and continued. "Loki, who is known as the God of all deception and mischief, set his mind and heart toward mirth at the expense of the unsuspecting. Known also as the trickster by his very nature, Loki could take any form, disappear, and even create false images of his very presence to fool entire crowds while he escaped their wrath."

(*)

Thor held Mjolnir aloft as the clouds that Eldred had summoned to frighten Darcy into returning to the fortress began to give birth to a rumbling of thunder. Loki watched in glee, not heedless but instead filled with happy anticipation to the wolf advancing behind him. He felt a strange sensation move through him, a familiar and soothing empowerment that gave him the urge to disappear right here and now. The trickster suddenly noticed a glowing, green strand of mist sweep towards him and disappear into his chest. Loki then realized inwardly that at least part of his power had been returned, a most important part. _Well done thus far, Darcy,_ he thought to himself. _This will be most amusing!_

Thor's hammer fizzled and glowed with life as an enormous bolt of lightning struck the hammer's edge. As the long strand of energy finished filling the weapon with a powerful surge of fatal electricity, Thor shouted triumphantly and then swiftly aimed the hammer at the form of his brother. He knew the lightning wouldn't kill him, but it would leave a mark to serve as a punishment for their last encounter and a reminder to never let it happen again. Electricity shot straight out from the hammer, heading straight for the trickster just as Eldred leapt, ready to sink his unusually large fangs into the trickster's back. Thor watched in shock as the lightning simply went through his brother and struck what must've been another creature behind him. The Asgardian heard a terrible, pained howl followed by whimpering mingled with what he could've sworn was a stream of curses. Thor narrowed his eyes at the image of his brother standing unscathed and unmoving.

"You really will never learn to tell the difference, will you?" Loki announced with a laugh, standing only a few inches behind his brother. Thor turned, furious, and stared into the satisfied face of his adopted sibling. He growled and raised Mjolnir once more, prompting Loki to hurry backwards and point towards where his false image had been standing. "Brother, stop and look what you've done. You've struck the real villain, the source of my debt to that malcontent!"

Thor turned and saw the charred form of a large wolf, frozen in shock and pain as it slowly sank to the ground. Loki grinned brightly as Eldred's form very slowly and laboriously changed back into his natural humanoid form. He still appeared somewhat wounded by the lightning, but now angry enough to overcome the wounds. Thor frowned and felt a twinge of fear, something he had always been keen on hiding from everyone around him, or so he had thought, as he watched the sorcerer raise himself to stand and glare hatefully at the two. Loki, however, was overcome with joy at having received some of his power again and having bested his master at his own game as well has having once again, fooled his brother with his image. He allowed himself a few moments to laugh heartily as Thor walked over to Eldred and promptly slammed Mjolnir into the nearly helpless sorcerer's chest, sending him flying through the rest of the forest. Of course Loki knew that this wouldn't kill the sorcerer and would only serve to make him all the more angered, but it was still most diverting to see this heated display. Unfortunately in his enjoyment, Loki had forgotten that Thor's wrath was still turned against him as well. He suddenly felt his brother seize him by the shoulder and begin dragging him away from the forest towards the clearing where Heimdall had set both of them down to begin with. Loki snarled as more of the green mist began to fill the air around him and seep into his chest slowly. He felt energy and resentment filling him all the more.

(*)

"Stupid human memory," Darcy muttered to herself. She smacked the side of her head reprovingly and repeatedly as she tried desperately to remember more about her beloved. She knew the most intimate and lovely details of his spirit, but she couldn't readily recall much more. If only she had a search engine, a screen of somekind to list off the powers that he had. She had off and on lamented the loss of technology she had experienced being so separated from earth, but now it was a real necessity. Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered that while she might not have had a screen with a functional connection to Wi-fi armed with Google, she still had something else to call on. She turned away from the window and raced down the hallway towards where she had remembered Loki's room being situated and rifled through everything until she found one of his journals. She let out a tiny shriek as she realized that it was the wrong one. "He must've put it out of sight back when he hated me," she groaned pitifully.

She turned back to the doorway and frowned. The library was a good distance away and she was already exhausted. If the journal was indeed hidden in the library then it would take every ounce of energy within her to make it there not to mention locating it then making it back to her own room and then loudly reciting its contents again. She cried out pitifully and clutched the sides of her head. "This is hopeless!" A loud cawing suddenly caught Darcy's attention as she turned back towards the doorway. She narrowed her eyes as she saw a large raven sitting on the floor and watching her pensively. Before she could move or make any noise, the bird cawed loudly again and flew past her to the wall beside Loki's writing desk and began pecking madly at one of the stones. Darcy watched in amazement as the stone slowly began to move with each harsh peck of the raven's beak until it came loose and then clattered to the ground revealing a larger journal . . . the very one she needed. She smiled brightly and hurried over to the wall, taking hold of the journal and clutching it tightly to her chest. "Thank you, uh, whatever your name is, Mr. Raven."

"You know my name, Darcy Lewis," the raven replied in Brenhin's kind voice. Darcy shrieked and stumbled backwards, luckily landing in a seated position on Loki's chair. The raven-Brenhin hopped onto the desk and cawed reproachfully. "Stop your carrying on this instance and get back to the task at hand!"

Darcy nodded quickly, catching Brenhin's clever reference to her current task although unable to acknowledge it properly at the moment. She leapt to her feet and hurried back to her own room and opened the journal to the day that he had arrived on Sylvanheim and begun his apprenticeship. She grinned and began reciting dates and skills one right after the other. Brenhin hopped after her and watched proudly. Tapio had spared his life, more than glad to have known that Brenhin had looked after his grandson where he had failed to save his daughter. He watched the energy continuing to flow from Darcy's hand, noticing what Darcy couldn't see, as the mark slowly began to disappear with the last few skills he had acquired being named. Brenhin cawed loudly and crouched, spreading his wings. He quickly took flight and cawed more loudly, heading away from the trail of green mist and heading up towards the heavens, calling for Heimdall.

(*)

Loki's entire form had filled with all but the last three skills he had acquired as Thor dragged him through the forest. As they passed one of the caves, abandoned years ago by a she-dragon after nesting, Loki finally found the presence to slip out of his brother's grasp. Thor gasped in surprise and turned around quickly, glancing in every direction possible to try and locate his wayward brother. He gripped Mjolnir tightly and then noticed his brother in full armor, gold glistening with a magical glow and proud dragon-horns giving him the appearance of intimidation he craved when nearest his closest kin and foulest enemies. Thor snarled at this display, remembering the last time he had seen him so clad; it had been on Midgard and the older Asgardian had withdrawn a shiv from his side after a brief scuffle with the trickster. Loki returned his brother's gaze with an unyielding message that he would not be removed from this realm.

"This has gone too far for too long, brother!" Thor shouted furiously. "We return to Asgard . . . NOW, and end this madness of yours, this senseless pursuit of thrones!"

"No, _**Son of Odin**_, it is you who will return to Asgard . . . _**NOW**_, and your senseless pursuit of brutality will end!" Loki retorted more loudly. Thor growled and advanced towards his brother. To his surprise, Loki did not retreat even a fraction as was his usual way, but instead advanced as well, reaching out one hand and allowing a polished, black oak staff to appear in his hand adorned with gold at either end (an addition Loki himself had added shortly before going and making his physical attraction known to Darcy) and gripped it tightly. Thor raised Mjolnir, but not in time to thwart a forceful thrust upward to the chin from the staff. Thor was so caught off guard that he lost his footing, Mjolnir tumbling a few inches away. Loki proudly pressed one of the golden ends of the staff against his brother's chest and spoke with the same authority that Thor recognized from their father's voice. "**You** return to that seething, gilded, sea of lies and wait for your rise to power. But as for me, I have already ruled Asgard and have been given other thrones to attend in its rejection." Thor stared at his brother in shock. Loki jabbed the harsh end of the staff into Thor's chest with each location he mentioned as he spoke. "I am rightful King of _**Jotunheim**_, I am rightful King of _**Alfsheim**_, and I inherit the right to be the only King of _**Sylvanheim**_." Thor's eyes widened even further as Loki reached down and managed to seize his brother by the collar and hold his face up to his own. "You forget, **Odinson**, that this is a realm of magic, far beyond your brute strength alone. Here there dwell demons and dragons . . . and I rule them all."

"All of your powers, all of your acquisitions are for naught without your . . ." Thor began. He was cut short, but not by his brother's wrath. Loki watched in horror as a large stone atop a familiar staff collided with the blonde-haired head of his older brother. Eldred stood, furiously snarling, and now seemingly relieved as Thor's eyes closed and a steady stream of blood began to course from a large crack on the side of his head.

"Noooooooooooooooooo!" Loki screamed, kneeling instantly and gingerly touching the massive wound. His heart raced and ached terribly at the sight of his brother's blood spilling fully onto his hand. This could've easily been a nightmare, but the trickster new that it was terribly real. He slowly lifted his gaze to Eldred who grinned and swiped the edge of the stone against the grass and then held it back up and smiled at it in satisfaction.

"What a wonder a dying star will make when it's heart falls to the ground. A small task for the dwarves to form it into this weapon. I had expected to only use it after I had acquired all the runes, but it is fitting I use it to acquire the last," he boasted. Loki's heart ached all the more as Thor began to grow pale. "Mjolnir, bah. I'd like to see that brute find the same flexibility in that crude block," Eldred sneered. Loki pulled his hand away from his brother's head and then turned slowly to his master as he wiped away the blood on his hand, staining the grass as he rose slowly and gripped the staff, a tear rolling down his cheek. Eldred chuckled wickedly. "How typical; still ungrateful after I give you what you have always wanted to see you resent me for it."

"I never wanted this," Loki hissed. Eldred scoffed and raised his weapon again. Loki held the staff defensively, though he knew that if the stone could wound the mighty Thor that his simple staff had little chance of defending him. "I want something else entirely."

"What a shame you'll not live to see your apprenticeship reach its fruition when I slaughter that little brat and consume every piece of her," Eldred snarled in return. Loki's eyes widened as Eldred grinned more brightly. "You didn't think I saw your secret when I took your power from you? Fool. Drifa will not be able to escape me, when she thinks she comes to your rescue."

As Eldred raised the stone-laden staff yet again, Loki raised his own staff with renewed resolve. There would always be hope to save Thor, but with Drifa's life threatened, as little as he had cared for her, he now felt a strange sense of righteous indignation fueling a desire to slay his master. Eldred's eyes began to glow and he took several steps backwards. Loki watched him in confusion. A swirling of clouds grew darker over head and in a few brief seconds, a flash of light produced the form of Drifa who raced over to where Thor lay and Loki stood. The trickster's eyes widened in horror as Drifa skidded to a halt, kneeling beside the fallen warrior. She looked up at Loki, tears forming in her eyes. "I know what he has planned, but without me . . ." she looked down sadly at the wound on Thor's head. " . . . Thor will die."

"Heal him," Loki said as he stepped past the girl and his brother's form, moving towards Eldred as the sorcerer began moving forward, eyes hungrily fixed on Drifa. Loki felt the powers that Darcy had restored to him surging and scheme after scheme came easily to him, though his anger and overpowering guilt made them a little more difficult to fully grasp at the moment. He breathed deeply and took hold of the edge of his staff leaping at Eldred and shouting furiously. Eldred laughed evilly and swung the stone-staff. He growled furiously as his staff swept through air and landed in the ground firmly. Loki appeared behind him, grinning brightly, and swung the staff hurriedly, catching the sorcerer at his jaw and throwing him several feet away from his weapon. The stone was embedded in the forest floor almost as deeply as Mjolnir had been on earth. Eldred crawled back to his hands and knees as Loki moved towards him and slammed the staff into him once more. Eldred growled as his apprentice stood over him triumphantly. Loki placed the golden end of the staff harshly against the sorcerer's back between his shoulders. While Thor could summon Mjolnir thanks to a gift bestowed on him by their father, Eldred had no means to summon his staff to him yet; an oversight that Loki was fully taking advantage of now. He grinned brightly. "You see, Eldred? You are still the wisest creature on Sylvanheim . . . kneeling without being told."

"Your arrogance surpasses your brother's," Eldred growled. He turned and glanced at the sight of Drifa deep in a trance as she healed the wound on Thor's head and smirked. "At least for now. There will be nothing to surpass when he is dead." With that, Eldred lifted one hand and a nearby tree began to sway, cracking and moaning as he turned his wrist. Loki realized too late what Eldred was doing and turned in time to see the massive tree begin to come crashing down over Drifa and Thor. Drifa was enveloped in the same trance that the healers of Asgard entered when healing a mortal blow. Loki leapt forward, but then felt himself gripped tightly by Eldred's other hand at the ankle. The second that he had been cost in being accosted was too much. The tree came crashing down and Loki watched in horror as it reached the two. Both sorcerer's eyes widened in disbelief as suddenly the wood burst in a golden spray. Eldred roared furiously as Loki grinned; Gungnir, it must've been. Furious, Eldred pulled harshly on the grip he had on Loki's ankle, pulling him to the ground and snatching the staff away from him and slamming it into him just below the breastplate. The blow sent Loki's breath out of him instantly. Eldred hurried over and reclaimed the stone-laden staff, turning back towards Loki as he got back to his hands and knees, still glaring defiantly at his master. "You've made your last mistake, half-breed."

Loki felt a sharp pain grip his chest; fear, a fear that his life was indeed over. He wished madly that his brother had been alert or his parents had been with him. If nothing else, despite the lies and hardships, Loki had always been protected in Asgard's palace. He resented having ever come to Sylvanheim, but then remembered the wondrous experiences he had been granted with Darcy. It was a terrible end, but he supposed that it was worth it for even that one first kiss to a falsely named prisoner he had taken from Midgard. He drew in a breath and readied to receive the fatal blow. As Eldred stormed towards him and raised the staff, Loki silently released one last hope, that Darcy would be well-cared for after it all. As Eldred swung his staff, Loki felt warmth surround him and the same spray of golden light that had destroyed the tree meant to kill Thor and Drifa, suddenly ripped through Eldred. The sorcerer screamed as the light tore him in half and both halves lay on the ground beside the trickster. Loki managed to stand and claim the stone-staff as his own. He turned as the sound of heavy footsteps, familiar footsteps, mingled with Eldred's gasps, and desperate choking. While Drifa had finished healing Thor, the very being that had destroyed the tree now approached the trickster and his master, golden staff raised and ready. Thor and Drifa had stood slowly and watched in amazement. Loki hurried backwards, staring in surprise at the form of the All-Father himself. He continued advancing until he stood over Eldred's top half and aimed the staff firmly at the sorcerer's face.

"This is for every misdeed, every act of treachery you have ever done, Eldred," Odin snarled. Eldred gasped and stared in terror at the form of the one-eyed warrior. Energy gathered around Gungnir again as Odin raised the staff. "This is for what you have done to my son, Thor," he growled and jammed the sharpest edge of the staff into Eldred's chest at his heart. The sorcerer screamed and Loki fell backwards a pace, covering his mouth in disbelief at the sight of such ferocity from his adoptive father. Odin turned and glanced at the trickster momentarily and then leaned forward, leaving Gungnir's end buried deeply in Eldred's chest. "And this is for what you have done to my son, Loki." With that, Gungnir's edge exploded with energy and Eldred's body disintegrated with segments spraying alongside the streams of light throughout the clearing. Slowly, Loki breathed a sigh of relief and the pangs of fear were replaced by a vortex of joy, anxiety, guilt, and admiration. He stood carefully as Thor joined his father and Drifa hurried to Loki's side, wrapping her arms around him with affection and gratitude. A raven landed on Odin's shoulder cawing proudly and Loki recognized the gleam in the bird's eyes. Brenhin, alive and well after all and full of as many surprises as Loki himself. Odin smiled as Loki finally met his gaze fully for the first time in months. "Well, my children," he said happily and began to summon light and power around them. "I believe now we can go home."

"No!" Loki realized aloud and looked terribly worried. The light and energy ceased in an instant. The father and son looked at the younger in confusion while Drifa simply nodded in pre-agreement with the trickster's concern. "Where is Darcy?"


	57. Entitled and Enriched

_(((This chapter moves through a timespan of more than 9 months fairly quickly and with little dialogue until a certain point only because I feel that showing how often and how intensely the two fight during her pregnancy would be redundant and tiring to write. We are almost at the end of this adventure and already it has been a most rewarding experience!)))_

Chapter 57: Entitled and Enriched

With a hint from Brenhin about where Darcy remained, Loki instantly disappeared, pleased to have the ability to transport himself through time and space back again. Darcy turned as the figure of Loki appeared. She cried out and ran to him, embracing him tightly. He pulled her all the closer to him and breathed deeply, kissing the top of her head over and over again as she buried her face in his chest. She reveled in the sound of his heartbeat, steady and powerful but with a few excited beats every few seconds. She pulled away and looked up at him, wiping away a few tears. Loki grasped both of her hands and smiled brightly at her. The two remained silent, grateful for one another's company for several minutes. While the two reconciled their absence of one another with their silent beholden gazes and embraces, the All-Father and Thor were spoken to in a manner most solemn by Drifa.

"He is ready to embrace her again, but it will be a while before he is ready to come home," the oracle said. Thor frowned and rubbed his head, blaming himself for yet another rift in their family. Had he not approached his brother so angrily he would've come home now. Drifa turned to him and smirked. "There will be much else to settle in the meantime for both of you."

"I cannot return without him. Frigga is already incensed enough with me for his absence," Odin countered. Drifa looked up at him emotionlessly. "Where has he gone?"

"I have business to attend elsewhere and I know the way back without the gate-keeper," Drifa snorted indignantly. She disappeared much like the trickster had done, without another word.

Odin frowned and clutched Gungnir tightly. He glanced back at the staff that Eldred had been using and he contemplated destroying it. He considered the notion that it might serve as some source of protection for Loki in the future and turned away, facing Thor. "What would you do?" he asked earnestly.

"Let him be," Thor replied heavily. Odin nodded with similar dissatisfaction. "The oracle knows his heart and mind, as well as ours. I will speak to mother and Volstagg and perhaps there might be a means of swaying him sooner than Drifa realized."

"I doubt you're right about that, Drifa has yet to be wrong before about . . . anything," Odin replied, glancing around at the rest of Sylvanheim and sighing. It was a similar realm to Asgard, Alfsheim, and Midgard all at once. Perhaps being so many things to so many creatures all at once was what suited his adopted son best. It still burned in him to think about how cold and cruel the boy's upbringing must've been for him to turn to such a terrible tutor. Odin summoned Heimdall's gaze quietly. "But if you're willing to speak to your mother I welcome it."

"I believe it will be most relieving for her to hear that her family may not be entirely present, but the rest is practically mended," Thor offered. Odin nodded and the two watched the sky explode in light as Heimdall summoned them home. Brenhin cawed loudly and took flight, heading back for the fortress ready to serve a better master.

(*)

Loki took up residence at the fortress and proclaimed Darcy to be his wife and consort. While Darcy spent a great deal of time back in the library while Loki settled issues with Tapio in denying his place on their throne at the moment and commenced to passing on his birthright in Jotunheim to Drifa, fulfilling the prophecy that had cost her the entirety of her family and childhood. The rest of the elves living in secret on Sylvanheim came to the fortress and brought with them a great deal of magic that Loki used to transform it into a massive palace fit to hold all the subjects and their king. Even Darcy seemed pleased with the concept, though she mentioned on several occasions how much more wonderfully he would be remembered for introducing the rest of the realms to Jeffersonian Democracy instead of the outdated reigns that had crippled many worlds. The two as king and queen were known very quickly throughout the palace and the rest of the realm itself, then into outer realms hidden and otherwise. Soon, numerous healers, scribes, sorcerers, and magical creatures came to live and pledge loyalty to the King of Sylvanheim and the God of Mischief.

Months passed and while Sylvanheim filled with a few subjects, primarily those that acted as servants or scribes, Darcy drew closer to her due date. She pondered the idea of asking to go back to earth as part of her feared desperately what giving birth would do and somehow being back in the realm where she had been born offered a promise of comfort. The more she thought about it, the less logical and sound it seemed particularly with Loki growing more polarized by the day. At times he was at his best, happy and well-mannered among those that served him, but when alone with the notion of their new addition he had time to fill with contempt and selfishness. Darcy feared that the man she had grown to love had shown her all the love he could manage. Narfi and Oski offered to reside in the fortress with her, at Brenhin's unspoken suggestion away from the King and Queen, and acted in every way to watch over her. Darcy found herself surrounded by strangers that truly cared about her and distanced from the only creature she cared intimately for.

The days passed more slowly as she drew closer to the day and Darcy felt entirely alone as a mother. Brenhin was kept as busied as possible elsewhere and she found it difficult to express anything to her handmaids without feeling self-conscious. On the day of the birth itself, Darcy was in a string of days and nights that blended across a tapestry of weeks. She barely remembered going into labor itself thanks to the aid of the healers around her. She remembered naming their daughter Gaea after reading that Gaea was the other name for earth and remembering where she had been conceived. A middle name was added the next day, she remembered that as well. Ashilda, the Aesir's quarrel she had read, giving the child the full name Gaea Ashilda Lewis, which Darcy only added in her mind as a formality, a tradition to be clung to should her daughter ever need to live for any time on earth. She remembered that the baby was beautiful; dark-haired and already crystal-eyed like both of her parents, but Darcy found herself unable to remember little else. The next few solemn weeks that passed felt heavy and unrelenting like a storm-front, but Darcy had found new purpose and focuses, something that seemed to make Loki even angrier. He had mentioned to her on a few occasions that there were too many dangers for an infant in Sylvanheim and that perhaps it would be best for her to be raised elsewhere. Darcy couldn't remember having actually fought with anyone so furiously before and Loki couldn't remember having ever seen a woman so angry before, either. No matter what logical persistence he made or alternatives with different relations he presented, Darcy made it clear that under no circumstances would their child be raised by someone else for his convenience.

In the time it had taken Darcy to carry, birth, and now care for their child, Loki became an odd pendulum swinging back and forth between the new and enlightened creature he had developed into over the past few months and the selfish seething child that still resented the attention anyone else had been given. There was fear as well, of course. Fear that the child would look nothing like him or worse, exactly like him. Fear that the child would have all of his attributes, but none of his mother's virtues. Fear that the child would be a her and not a him which was a terrible blow to any royal family. His subjects would suffer if he was not at his best and Gaea herself was in danger enough just being his offspring. At the first mention of it Darcy had forced the child into his arms and told him to say his request over again. Loki found it impossible to do, but practiced trying for a few days which Darcy took to mean that he was finally at peace with his daughter's presence. After failing repeatedly to convince Darcy that Gaea, who he knew by name and brief passing only, would be safer elsewhere, Loki decided that he would have to act without her permission in this instance.

It wasn't difficult to gather the energy necessary to render the rest of the residents of the fortress into a deep sleep. He also knew that putting the proper ideas into Darcy's mind wouldn't take much effort. What troubled him was where to put the child. His parents were an obvious choice since hers were less than mortal at the moment, but he shuddered at the thought of anyone else being at Odin's mercy. There was her uncle, but again, Loki shuddered at the thought of even Odin being at the mercy of Tony Stark. Besides, enough trouble befell earth in a fortnight to rival any logic in taking her there for safety's sake. Why even an obscure demon had been able to follow him there which Darcy had pointed out in one argument. Loki had nearly forgotten about Surtur and the thought of answering to him made the task even more necessary. In the end he had decided that perhaps Tapio would find solace in raising his great-granddaughter if he could not have his grandson. Yes, that would work perfectly. The night he had chosen was perfect; the weather was still and calm and the sky was clear. It would be easiest to enchant and travel on this night.

As he had predicted, it took little effort to enchant each and every resident, which he knew by name entirely, in the fortress and some a little around it as well. He watched Darcy still sleeping beside him as he dressed quickly and slipped hurriedly into the nursery. Gaea was growing and seemed to have nearly doubled in size since her birth. At the moment, though, she seemed somewhat smaller to him and lighter as well as if he had grown without knowing it. This would have to be done quickly for everyone's sake, he rationalized. The trickster made his way out of the fortress and into the vast clearing where he usually departed. Loki looked up at the sky, hesitating and searching the stars carefully as if for some sign of approval. Gaea shifted and whimpered uncomfortably.

_Damn_, Loki thought to himself. He had remembered to enchant ever person in the fortress, but hadn't expected to face any further obstacles in absconding with his own child. The whimpering grew louder and Loki knew that with the right about of carrying on she could still draw her mother out of a deep sleep. He held her up in front of him, examining her as he had done the heavens, again searching for some sign that he was making the right choice and doing the right thing in taking Gaea to a different home. He feared deeply everything that faced Darcy and that was enough, but to think about having to defend, raise, and share any amount of attention with his wife with this newborn. He was unnerved enough at the thought that he would have face Surtur in the coming days. He breathed deeply as Gaea reached up with both tiny hands and rubbed her eyes before looking into the face of her father. Her expression changed instantly to overjoyed and she reached both hands out towards his face as she began to squeal happily.

"This isn't a good place for you, you know. It's not safe and you're more helpless than your mother," he said. She ceased any noise and stared back at him in confusion, the same confusion that he himself was facing. He sighed, frustrated that yet again proper planning had eluded him because of a female. How in the world had Fandral managed to keep any sense or wit about him in their constant company? Either he was lying or he had found some ancient secret to shutting out distraction entirely. "There is family for you on earth that will be able to care for you and I know he will be more than enthusiastic to take care of a helpless waif," he continued. Gaea suddenly frowned at him as if she realized what he meant. His chest began to ache as a single tear formed otherwise unaccompanied in her eyes and trickled down one cheek, glowing in the moonlight emphasizing the sobriety of the circumstance. "Don't make this any harder for me, you can't possibly expect to survive in any other realm; your mother is human and that is who you happen to favor."

Gaea let out a small and pitiful whimper at him, letting her arms fall to their sides. Loki felt his heart positively wrench to one side and sink within him. _No_, he told himself, _if she stays she will die. Even if she somehow manages to survive her youth she will forever be hailed and hunted as your offspring. You anger enough beings to destroy an entire planet. You don't think Thanos would enjoy using your own child against you_?

"For Heaven's sake your mother found herself in trouble as often as I and she didn't nearly have the capacity for causing it that I do, no doubt the only something of mine you'll inherit to punish me," he mumbled. Gaea whined more pitifully and another tear joined the first. "Darcy retrieved the Norn Queen's Eye from the mouth of a Lindwurm, your mother is enough to watch over. I can't have both two mortals in constant need of rescue. I'm sorry, but I just can't." Gaea sadly lifted both hands again and reached out for her father's face as Loki sighed and closed his eyes. There was an obviously selfish motive and part of him still envied the singularity in her appearance. She was decidedly human in everything she seemed to be. "I already owe the demon my firstborn," he muttered unhappily. "There are others that want so much more, so much more from me." She continued to reach forward and then finally touched either side of his face. The soft pressure from each of her tiny ten fingers against his skin intensified the terrible ache. He groaned and tried to strengthen his resolve all the more. Her touch somehow seemed different, though and it struck an unusually familiar chord. He slowly opened his eyes, and gasped.

Gaea stared back at her father, at least it had been Gaea when he had closed his eyes. There hadn't been any strange shifts or any potentiality for someone to have enchanted her, but this did not look like the offspring of Darcy Lewis. Gaea stared back at her father with eyes glowing bright red and her flesh was now a strange cerulean. he pulled her closer to him, staring down at his child in astonishment. She continued whimpering as they stared at one another; her complexion grew no deeper, but her eyes glowing more vermillion as she lamented. Loki brought his forehead against hers and felt his own form change, matching hers. The deep twinge of anxiety and guilt was slowly becoming overwhelming as he realized that no matter what he did in the future, any trouble he had caused in the past would follow him and his new family. Gaea would not be at home away from creatures that fully understood her parentage and could protect her as a magical creature on top of a living being.

He pulled the child more tightly to him, the same envious part now rejoicing that his child was just as much a part of him as her mother. Loki turned back to the stars for a moment and grinned before moving back into the fortress. He couldn't part with her in good conscience now. The two slowly made their way back to the nursery. He slowly placed the girl back in her cradle, allowing her to grasp one of his fingers with infant strength. He smiled more brightly and chuckled as she yawned and rubbed her eyes once more, the blue fading from her as she slipped back in to a sound sleep. He gently pulled the coverings over her as she released his finger and grew completely still. It amazed him that she looked so peaceful when four very three very different bloodlines fought within her. He leaned forward and tenderly kissed the top of her head. Whatever disaster lay ahead, and that's what would inevitably find him, he now had a completely different set of creatures to keep in mind and all of them depended directly on him. He quietly turned to leave and then froze at the sight of the figure standing in the doorway.

Darcy stared at him with one brow lifted both inquisitively and accusingly, her arms folded tightly. "You know, if didn't think you wanted to live so badly I would swear that something weird happened in this fortress that made everyone magically seem to fall asleep," she said sarcastically. She took a step towards him as he tried to avert her gaze directly. "This is probably just something with the weather, right? Like some calm before a really bad storm?"

"I hope not," he replied with a tone of pleading. He looked back at Darcy sadly, but eager to point out that he hadn't gone through with what he had originally planned.

"I am not 100% sure why you did this, but I know it was you and I saw you outside, with our daughter that you've been trying to convince me to get rid of since before she was born," Darcy continued. "And if the two of those things are in any way connected you can kiss your pleasant little life here as benevolent sovereign goodbye."

"Darcy I would die without you, you know that. You can't leave me," he replied sternly. She stared at him angrily.

"Oh,_** I**_ wouldn't be going anywhere, mister. I'm just pointing out that I have in my power the ability to make your life a living hell as long as I'm involved," she corrected firmly. "Comprende'?"

"Yes," he replied flatly. Darcy as a mother was clearly a different creature than Darcy as his wife. He was impressed and reassured all at once. Even if his child was helpless, it was clear her mother was exceptionally defensive, keen, and still the only human he knew of that could evade his type of magic. A thought came to him. In the effort to remember every resident, he had completely forgotten to enchant Darcy herself. He didn't regret not taking Gaea, but part of him seethed at the thought of so careless a mistake. He glanced back into Darcy's expression reading a combination of exhaustion and frustration that made her just vulnerable enough to certain suggestions. "Can I come back to bed and we forget this ever happened?"

"You can't forget this, that's a ridiculous thing to ask," she said moving forward until she was no more than a few inches away from him. "But we should be getting back to bed." She reached out and took his hand in both of hers, looking down and sighing. "You know, you haven't had a massive psychological breakdown, so you're one step ahead of my dad," she offered. He pulled her close to him and wrapped both arms around her tightly. "God knows how many steps ahead of your own dad you are. But just out of curiosity, what made you change your mind like that?"

Loki frowned in confusion and looked down at Darcy. "You mean, you didn't see everything?" he asked.

"I saw the two of you outside, but nothing else," she replied. The trickster contemplated whether or not it was best to share with her what he had seen. "What was it?"

"I realized our similarities, she and I," he replied. Darcy lifted a brow at him in concern. "You'll understand in due time."

"Alright," Darcy replied with a sigh, looking back up at her husband who still watched their child with a contemplation she had never seen in him before. She frowned as she realized that there was definitely something she wasn't being told and it was terribly important. "Loki, is there something else I need to know about?"

"Yes," he replied emotionlessly without turning to face her. Surtur was going to collect his due in just a short while, less than three months' time. He needed to present Darcy at court and Gaea as well. Being in Asgard would mean protection when asked to deliver his firstborn to the fire demon. In the meantime, he could prepare Darcy for the secrets that would inevitably be brought to life as their time together grew more vast. It would not be easy to comfort her without their help. "There are many things I have not, could not tell you until I knew you were ready," he said softly. Her heart sank a little at hearing this. He turned to face her once more and then led the way back to their room as he spoke. "We should speak to my mother and father; they need to meet the rest of the new additions to the royal family. It has been more than a year since I have seen my mother and father, such as they are. More importantly there are enemies I made that may prove to be an issue in the very near future."

"Worse than Eldred?" she said in confusion.

"Much worse," he replied, squeezing her hand. "But nothing that can't be handled with the right assistance."


	58. The Tempest Rises

_**!WARNING!**_

_This chapter contains __**sensual content and sexual activity**__. Please be aware that I do not condone sexual actions outside marriage myself and that these characters are married. The content and subject material are both meant for those __**over the age of 14**__ only (let's be realistic, 14 is when we all know fully what the act is). Read on only if you belong in the age or emotional category of 'mature'. Thank you. _

_**!WARNING!**_

Chapter 58: The Tempest Rises

Loki and Darcy prepared to appear in Asgard, even going as far as to send formal word. Darcy wondered what Thor's reaction would be to his brother being king of another realm entirely and essentially still trying to rule vicariously over two other realms (she had seen him on no less than three occasions speaking with Drifa and Tapio through the mirror in Eldred's old study. It had become a place dedicated to the mirrors used for scrying and speaking across the realms which Darcy simply called the Skype Room. The trickster thought more and more about his debt to the demon and the dangers in the revelation of many things at that time to Darcy. The visit to Asgard wouldn't be enough to distract Surtur, he needed something else to ensure Gaea's safety. The perfect plan came to him very quickly as he remembered another debt, or rather a promise of recompense he still owed on earth. He suggested to Darcy that they spend the night on Midgard before their journey and she agreed, hesitantly.

"I thought you needed to present us in court or something; why do you want to go to earth again?" she asked in confusion. "That's where my extended family is, you know."

"Yes, he should do," Loki thought to himself aloud. Surely a few hours, a whole night and day with Tony Stark wouldn't damage Gaea too badly. She would be safe with him while they made their appearance in Asgard and Surtur made his appearance as well. Darcy stared at him pensively, but he said nothing else for several moments. "I have a debt to repay. Without it I never would've returned to you in time."

"Okay, but is that everything?" she asked.

He smirked and pulled her to him once more. "We have been wed almost a year formally," he replied, knowing that on Midgard milestones like the passing of one year since a specific date like births, marriages, and deaths were significant to the human race. Darcy smiled and nodded. "I thought perhaps it would serve us well to renew what began in your world."

"Wow, that's so romantic I almost forget you're not telling me everything," she said, taking his hand and squeezing it softly. "Alright, but I'm just not sure how this will work with a baby when we usually have other people here to help take care of her."

"There will be others there to help as well. You do have family," he said.

"Yeah, but I wouldn't trust him to babysit," Darcy added.

"Why not? It would only be a short time, remember?" Loki countered. Darcy shook her head, still smiling. He reached down and softly kissed her forehead. It had been months since they had been intimate, drained of energy or enthusiasm by the new kingdom and the new child. "You will need to stay with him anyway, while I see to my repayment."

"Who do you owe, anyway? Other than the victims of the alien attack on your first trip?" she asked playfully.

He glanced over at the large table in the entrance room. A dish was set in one of the corners with the gold and silver apples he still used to maintain Darcy's life force so vibrantly. He would also speak with his father about the issue of her mortality, but until she was immortal these would serve her well. Now, they would serve to make a fine repayment for the promise he had made to Rogers.

(*)

Peggy Carter walked slowly to the front room of her London flat. She admired the warm sun and watched as a few children played happily outside. Three girls played 'Blue Bells and Cockle Shells' with a jumping rope, carefree laughter ringing from them as they recited the very same rhyme that Peggy remembered calling out with her friends as she either held or skipped over the rope. Several boys shouted to one another as they chased after a football and darted every now and again, reminding one another that they couldn't get whatever new article of clothing they were wearing dirty or their

'mum would kill them'. Her heart ached at the thought of having children, at the thought of having a family. She had always wanted one, but the single most incredible man she had ever met, the man she had fallen in love with, had only just now awakened. Yes, she had heard about Captain Steve Rogers being awakened from an icy sleep. The report had made her faint and she found it difficult to believe at first; thinking it was some sort of American tabloid journalism play. No, it was the truth and the Captain's pictures after defending his country and the world on the Island of Manhattan were just as handsome as she remembered.

He was as young and strong as she remembered. Perhaps he was just as pure, just as noble and courageous as ever, but Peggy found herself too afraid to try and find out. She glanced over at an oval mirror that sat on the wall just beside the front door; a last opportunity to check her hair or clothes before she headed outside, something her mother had always taught her to do. She looked down at the magazine image of the youthful soldier and then into the silvery reflection of her aged features. Her eyes filled with tears and her heart grew even heavier at seeing how much time had taken from her, so much that she knew she had absolutely nothing to give. She reached out and gingerly touched the image in the mirror as a tear rolled down her cheek. Just as she was about to allow the sobbing to begin, someone knocked loudly at her door. Peggy jumped and stared at the door in amazement; she wasn't expecting anyone or anything in the post. She furrowed her brow and looked through the peephole, pulling her knitted, blue shawl tightly around her weakened shoulders.

At the door stood a lovely looking gentleman. He had beautiful dark hair, black as night and flowing shoulder-length behind him with a small amount of freedom that told Peggy he was definitely from the countryside. His simple clothing was further testimony to that; plain brown working pants with a green shirt buttoned all the way to the top, sleeves rolled up telling Peggy that he had been hard at work either in a field or an orchard of some-kind. He carried a basket with him, gripped in one hand with a delightful smile and continued to knock happily with the other. She sighed and undid the locks, four of them in her older years, still marveling a little through the peephole at his incredible green eyes. As she opened the door, she could've sworn he grinned even brighter. If she didn't know any better, she would've sworn that this young man was part cat, a secret and a horde of mirth behind the glisten in both his verdant eyes. He appraised her, and seemed to be kindly complimenting her silently. She stood in the doorway, the door opened only wide enough to display her tiny frame.

"Can I help you, young sir?" Peggy asked, her older voice shaking more than usual. Loki could still hear the beauty, the melodic sweep of sundry notes in her tone that remained which he had been able to hear in the Captain's memories.

"Good morning, Miss Carter," Loki replied in an accent he had learned that was supposed to come from the high places of Scotland. Peggy lifted one brow at him as he held the basket out to her. "My name is William Irving, from the Irving Orchard just up in Sainsbury. I'm Devin's son, you remember Devin Irving, don't you, miss?"

She frowned and shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't, young man," she replied. "But I thank you for calling on me all the same, good day."

Before the old woman could close the door, Loki desperately continued to speak, urging her to listen. "Oh, it'll come back to you; old Devin 'Seven Eggs' Irving," he lied. Peggy's eyes flashed with a warning to him that she didn't abide people wasting her time. He cleared his throat and held the basket out to her, covered with a green cloth. "He sends this to you; we're in town at the market with the rest, but he wanted you to have these. Their new, you see, best in the whole country. Full of all sorts of vitamins, took us nigh unto ten years to cross pollinate."

Peggy furrowed her brow at him and cautiously accepted the basket. She carefully pulled back the cloth and gasped. Her eyes widened in amazement at what lay within. There were at least seven large, golden, _**golden**_, apples! She gasped and looked back up, ready to ask the young Irving what in the world the family had done to make golden apples. To her shock the young man had disappeared entirely. She dropped the basket, still in shock and stumbled a pace backwards. She placed a hand over her heart as it thundered in her frail chest. As she glanced down, she noticed that there was something else in the basket. She knelt, shaking, and grasped an envelope with her name etched in beautiful letters on its smooth side. She turned it over and quickly opened it, wondering what a man she couldn't remember, who had sent a young man that had magically disappeared, would have to say to her. She opened the envelope and gasped yet again. Inside was an airline ticket to Manhattan itself. Another slip of paper in the envelope sat in her trembling left hand as she read it.

_**-Peggy Carter:**_

_**He**__ is waiting for __**you**__ at Number 18 Building E on Greenwich Street in Lower East Brooklyn New York_ . . . _eat them, all of them_, _then go to him_. –_Loki_ _of Asgard_ (_mutual acquaintance of Captain Steven Rogers_) -

Another tear rolled down Peggy's cheek as she reached down and quickly took hold of one of the golden apples. At finishing school, she had studied numerous myths and legends from so many countries and cultures. While her friends favored the Greeks, the Romans, and even the Celts, Peggy favored the Norsemen. She knew the name Loki very well and the concept of Asgard as well. She trembled with excitement as she pulled the golden apple to her lips, still having all of her ivory teeth intact, and took a bite. A warm, satisfying feeling began to fill her along with energy. She grinned, knowing well what the golden apples, and the silver, did for the Aesir and all the other citizens of Asgard. She clutched the apple tightly as she finished it and then turned back to the mirror. Her heart leapt as she noted that her face had grown more smooth and colour had returned to her cheeks. A few more tears streamed down her face as she reached for another apple and clutched the airline ticket excitedly. Even if the effects of the apples only lasted a few hours after she had arrived, she would finally have that dance and she would be sure to this time seal it with a kiss.

(*)

Darcy turned and smiled brightly at her husband as the two appeared a great distance away from Manhattan. Gaea had been left in Stark's care with Pepper enthusiastically offering to help. The trickster had endured a small blow to the head from Stark at presenting Gaea to him. It was worth the look on Stark's face at being told that not only did his only living relative now bear offspring, but that her father was the trickster. After he was sure that the mortal woman in London would depart just as quickly for America, he had rejoined Darcy and whispered to her that he had something to show her, bidding his daughter and Stark goodbye.. He grinned to her in reply and took both her hands in his, forming a complete circuit of joy powered by the fullness of both hearts pulsing in unison. Darcy glanced at the forest around them, shivering ever so slightly in the chill of the night air. Loki glanced around in the same direction, wondering what she was observing and why. Carefully, he listened for her thoughts and heard a resounding contentment as well as new confusion. She wasn't sure why he had brought them away from her uncle's home in the city, particularly so far to the north, but she was basking in his apparent tenderness. He squeezed her hands and pulled her closer to him, looking down into her lovely features gratefully.

"A long night alone before returning to Asgard," Loki said aloud. Darcy nodded. He drew her closer, pulling their faces toward one another until they hovered a wisp away. "And what to do with," he began, kissing her lips softly following each successive word, ". . . all . . . this . . . time?"

"Time is infinite, we can do whatever we want with it whenever we want," Darcy replied in a serious tone with a more somber expression. Loki pulled away a fraction, staring into her eyes with bewilderment. She grinned mischievously and bit her lip. "I think what you mean is what do we do with the absence of the burden of your position as master sorcerer and regent of Sylvanheim as well as the excess miles between our daughter and my uncle so really what you should've asked is what do we do with," she replied playfully, taking either side of his face in both her hands and kissing him just as softly and in the same succession as his had been given, " . . . all . . . this . . . space?"

Loki thought for a moment and Darcy noted a similar serious expression crossing his face. "Well, actually if the truth be known, space is infinite as well so the appropriate question would be . . ." he began. Darcy placed her lips over his quickly, silencing him and changing the current of every thought moving through him. After a few breaths they parted once more, gazing at one another lovingly and anxiously. It had been months since they had been allotted more than a few minutes together in private and those were usually spent in an embrace right before sleep fully took them. The rest of the life they had made on Sylvanheim had been utterly congested with subjects of the realm settling in, scholars and sorcerers in training arriving and studying in the palace, and all the wonderfully exhausting new duties of parenthood. Darcy glanced from side to side and then began to smile coyly again. The trickster read the expression and the thoughts behind it, replying with as pleasantly precocious a grin. "I've seen that look in your eyes before. If I didn't know any better I'd think you were hoping for intimacy."

"Good call, Holmes," Darcy replied. She folded her arms over his shoulders and around his neck. "Now, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm afraid intimacy on earth is trivial and if I recall correctly loses its good consequence the further one gets from the magnetic poles," he said with a feigned sigh of indifference. Darcy frowned and gave him a stern look. "Then again, I have heard stories of some creatures that use intimacy and sport to create an illusion that satisfies where the world around them might not suffice."

Darcy lifted one brow at him and smirked. "In English that means you know about sexy games, right?" she asked with a laugh.

"I believe I said something less coarse than that," he said, again feigning a reaction, but this one holding a tone of offense. "Why such provocative and redolent speech is hardly befitting a chaste young maiden."

"Yeah, I kind of gave that up when I 'uttered nothing but your name' remember?" Darcy said, folding her arms and glancing behind them. "And considering that our baby is sleeping about 200 miles that way, I think that's something in the distant past."

"Not tonight," Loki replied quickly. Darcy turned back to him as a wicked grin spread across his lips and gleamed in his verdant eyes. He wrapped both arms more fully around her, breathing slowly and deliberately as he tried to keep himself calmed and controlled. "Tonight you are Desdemona, the beautiful daughter of the innkeeper who has caught the eye and heart of Prospero, the dark conjurer from the Netherworld."

Darcy stared at him confusedly for a moment. He lifted one brow at her as she thought for a moment. She continued to look back at him and then realized that the night had grown colder. As she tried to discern why she glanced down and noticed that her modern clothing donned for the journey to earth, had been replaced by medieval attire, more specifically the bodice-laced dress of a tavern girl. "Oh!" she exclaimed as she looked back up at him, clapping once. "Right! I'm Desdemona, right?"

"That was implied," he said with a slightly derisive gaze. Darcy noted that his green and golden clothes had been replaced by the gothic coupling of tunic and leggings, both black silk and appearing like the cover of countless gothic romance novels. A single tiny gold circlet encrusted with a few tiny emeralds also graced one earlobe and his hair had lengthened significantly, pulled behind his head in a dark braid.

"And do I, the maiden that longs for something more than tavern life but remains shackled to her pastoral prison for a greater desire, the yearning for an eternal companion," Darcy replied, stepping away and twirling around once for youthful emphasis. "Do I return your sinister affections?"

"Ah, now that is a key and complicated question," he said taking a few steps toward her, folding his arms behind him as he felt himself settling into character and eagerly awaiting the acts of this extemporized performance to unfold. "You see, while you do find the notion of spiriting away to the world of magic ever so rousing," he added, smoothly taking another few steps towards her. "There is also the ever palpable truth that my heart is wicked, fraught with fiendish magic and unpleasant pursuits; and while I have first known desire when you welcomed me to the tavern, innocent and mild," he continued, now a mere three feet away and looking more devious than ever. Darcy stared back in anticipation, enjoying the description but hoping it would finalize soon so that the real fun could start. After all, he could do many things but he couldn't keep the night from passing by. "It did frighten you so to learn of my trade, dear, delightful, Desdemona. Almost as much as it frightened you to find yourself worlds away from your home and family."

"Okay, barmaid from a village that you, the evil wizard, visited and now you've taken me somewhere else to ravage me; got it," Darcy interjected.

"Are you going to do this properly or do you wish to simplify everything until the very language you use is a vernacular gruel?" he quipped back with a slight tone of irritation. Darcy smirked at him, signaling that she knew anger in some small way in him, would make things all the more interesting.

"Forgive me, my liege, and pray continue so that we won't spend half the night in sparkling, but empty banter," Darcy said with as grand a flare as she could muster.

"Very well, then," he said. "Now, I have not merely taken you to have my sinful way with you, but let's not completely rule that out. I know something you have tried to keep hidden from your father and your village; you bear a natural talent for magic . . . dark and ancient magic. I intend, my fair and unspoiled, Desdemona, to liberate that natural skill so that you and I, the remarkable Prospero, will have a companion with which to shroud the earth in my pitiless grasp."

"How awful!" Darcy exclaimed, now finding herself as drawn into this illusion as he was and enjoying the promise of the fantasy. "I would never give my body, my heart, or my soul to anyone with such ruthless purpose!" she shouted theatrically. Loki admired the tone and diction, but was partial to the sight and sound of her heightened breathing even more. "I would rather conceal all of my boundless power and die a humble old maid, serving lairds and highwaymen, than to find myself in the service of that wicked Prospero! And I would sooner die here, a fallow maiden, than lie with so foul a villain as Prospero!"

"Well, oh proud and chaste, Desdemona, and you are right, the banter is getting to be a little much," he said, continuing to advance on the well-feigned fear developing in his true love. "I have no choice but to draw you into my service wholly with the most powerful of incantations! You will be my lover and my slave and I will have both your beauty and your world as mine!"

"Oh, no! Not that! Anything but that!" Darcy cried out, backing away in her counterfeit terror.

He continued to advance, gauging her reaction before reacting himself. The trickster was well-acquainted with being three steps ahead of any opponent or companion, but now he found himself afraid that he might find himself three steps in the wrong direction if he somehow missed a cue or she changed her disposition. Darcy suppressed a giggle and backed even further away, coming close to a clearing where the moonlight was most visible. She turned and stared in amazement at the brilliant and rather large full moon. It was unusual to see the stars in New York itself, but it was somewhat more feasible here further north. As she wandered slowly into the center of the clearing, she lost track of the evil sorcerer advancing on her. In fact, Loki had been tempted to refrain from making any further movement in order to allow her this wonderment before the game continued. Her dark hair tumbled smoothly over her pale, bare shoulders and he was overwhelmed at the image of her lovely form haloed against the brilliant lunar aura, arisen in the distant sky like a midnight sun. He couldn't hold onto affection or any other building passion for much longer. He raced forward and shouted triumphantly as he seized her around the waist, clutching her tightly, menacingly. Darcy let out a tiny shriek as he turned her harshly to face him. Loki marveled at the glisten in his wife's eyes, the trepidation and trust all swirling in the jade orbs that had captured him more fully and more permanently than any binding on Earth or Asgard.

Darcy struggled for a moment, making the display convincing for a few seconds as he parried her attempts carefully, but precisely. Loki grinned, enjoying the display more than he knew he should've. Despite his undying love and affection, abducting her and keeping her as his captive still thrilled him. As she twisted ever so slightly in his grasp, nearly breaking free. Darcy smirked and then returned to her false attempts to escape. He beamed and tightened his grip on one of her shoulders. "Yield to me, you have no other choice so far from your home, Desdemona! You will be mine whether you desire it now or not; I will make you desire me in every way imaginable."

She finally ceased and lifted her chin defiantly. "I will never be so consumed by darkness," she said sternly. "Do what you will to my virtue . . ."

"Oh, but sweet Desdemona, I have no intention of taking your sacred merit without first hearing you beg me to do so," he growled suggestively. Darcy trembled in excitement, masking it with a gasp of tremulous alarm. He gripped her more tightly and guided them to kneel on the ground as he pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss, clawing theatrically at her bodice until three of the laces split. Darcy instinctively moved to cover herself, but the trickster kept a good, firm grip on both her arms, keeping them behind her as he stared down into the graceful slopes. His gaze slowly met hers once more as she stared into his eyes. He was beyond waiting any longer, she assessed, and so was she. Sensing her realization, the trickster suddenly grinned and took three steps forward in a somewhat new direction. He leaned forward, pressing his brow against hers. "Your innocence will remain intact, for now," he whispered huskily. Darcy stared up at him in confusion, furrowing her brow against his smooth, pale skin. "But your definition of pleasure, oh, that will be greatly changed . . . forever."

Darcy looked back into the eyes of her husband in confusion for a moment and stammered for a few seconds. He pressed forward against her, prompting her to lie back further as he placed strategic and painfully delicate kisses on her neck and shoulders, growling ever so softly every now and again. Darcy moaned and breathed deeply, shifting and trying to meet his lips with her own, but found it arduous and almost impossible as his focus remained below her face. Persuaded that she wasn't going to get his attention by simply trying to guide the gestures, Darcy let out a cry and grabbed his sleeve at the shoulder, wrenching it tightly in her hand as she tried to pull it free of its master. To her surprise, the silk was stronger than any cloth she had ever encountered and she wondered if he hadn't enchanted his own garments as well as hers to fit certain roles the way they themselves were acting at the moment. POP! Another lace on her bodice came suddenly undone as one of his hands wandered over the leather string, prying at the already tightened clothing with his long, nimble fingers. Darcy let out a louder shriek and pulled harder at the sleeve, hoping that he would silence and subdue her eye to eye. She growled and grunted as he chuckled and ignored the shriek, now kissing her collarbone and throat fervently. She snarled and yanked as hard as she could on the sleeve managing to tear the silk a few inches at its seam. Loki halted and sat upright, glancing over at the small amount of exposed flesh underneath the tear in his tunic. He grinned and turned back to her as she panted heavily, grateful to see his beautiful eyes yet again.

"What, couldn't you have tried just a little harder?" he said mockingly. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him, not necessarily out of anger, but out of sheer frustration and desire. He laughed and sat back a little on his knees, taking both hands momentarily away from her long enough to grasp his tunic at the collar and tear downward. Darcy gasped as he took hold of either central hem and then tore the rest of the tunic free, tossing it to the side as he leaned back over her. "There, now you may feel a certain sense of accomplishment."

"You'll have nothing from me so easily," she quipped back in a sultry whisper, grasping one shoulder in her right hand and wrapping the fingers of the other around the back of his head as she drew him closer.

He reached down past her tender grasping and ferociously took hold of the frayed and split edges of the bodice, tearing it in half as easily as he had torn his tunic. Darcy shrieked more loudly, a cry laced with both shock and amazement. He marveled at the form of his wife for a beat, still debating whether or not this was reality and he was enjoying the fruits of a willing, compassionate woman. He growled and reached down for her, taking hold of either side of her hips as he kissed her beneath the right ear repeatedly, She let out a soft moan and grasped him beneath either elbow, lifting herself off the ground a few inches and exploring his clavicle with kisses. He ceased for a moment, taking in the exquisite feel of her soft, warm breath and smooth lips pressing sweetly against him. He breathed deeply, feeling his breath fill his lungs, traveling swiftly past her delicate displays of affection. He reached up and took hold of either side of her face, breathing heavily and looking deeply into her eyes. She smiled back as he tilted her head backwards and granted her fifth chakra a long, solemn vow of loyal romance, parting his lips ever so slightly to feel the breaths that she now drew in rapidly. He cradled the back of her head and stroked her jawline with his thumb as he lingered against the source of her voice, her beautiful voice. Darcy finally found a lull in his display and managed to place both her palms against his chest, giving the very same affection to where she could feel his heart pulsing strongest. She slowly slid both small, warm hands downward until they rested just above his belt. The feel of her warm palms accompanied by the fairy-fluttering of each descending fingertip sent a thunderous wave of ecstasy through him. He drew in a deep breath and pushed her back against the ground.

She frowned at him. "Why do you never let me finish my displays of tenderness? I won't ever fulfill us both if you keep . . ." Darcy began. She lurched forward as a massive and impromptu surge of electricity shocked her as if having been struck by feather-soft lightning. The warmth that accompanied it began to dissipate throughout her extremities and Darcy slowly caught her breath, wondering how she had managed to reach the sensation of fulfillment so quickly. Before she could make eye contact with her beloved, another more powerful peak of pleasure shook her. She shrieked loudly as this one lingered for what felt like a full minute before receding like a warm, tingly ocean tide. She shuddered and quickly met her beloved's eyes. He was beaming with satisfaction and positively glowing after having expertly displayed that he had skills and talents that far surpassed any man she might have known after him, even another immortal. "How did you . . ."

"Surrender to me, Desdemona, and beg for my sovereignty and all its respective duties," he purred.

Still blissfully, not understanding the first parry back and forth, Darcy looked back at him defiantly. "No," she said firmly. "You have nothing that I desire, said nothing to sway me, done nothing in your life, sorcerer, which bears repeating!"

"Oh, I humbly disagree," he retorted. Darcy arched her back, gripping his arms tightly as two more powerful pinnacles of his magical dexterity and her mortal senses met in one sonic boom right after the other. She screamed in rapture as the culmination slowly faded the second time, panting heavily and blessing whatever being had blessed him with this gift. She caught her breath as he carefully watched her movements, realizing that she was beginning to reach the tipping point; further displays would turn slowly into agony and she would plead for him to join her at the selfsame shrine of flesh where they had first professed their eternal adoration of the other. As she centered and tried to reach forward to express her gratitude with her lips against his once more, he reached out and grasped her jaw firmly in one hand. It was firm enough to seem serious, but still delicate enough to not cause harm and remind her that they were at play, not quite war yet. He leaned down to her left ear and spoke softly. "Make me your master . . . say it."

"No," she whispered in reply, returning the gesture in character by putting both hands again against his chest, but this time weakly pushing him away. "You will never have me."

"If only the mind could create all realities . . . I would have many times over been your master already," he snarled, still holding her jaw as he sent two more jolts of energy into the central portion of an island behind the hypothalamus. Had medical science understood half of what the trickster had learned in his dealing promptly with Darcy, no couple would ever want for mental stimulation. She shrieked, finding only a few moments of the first pleasant and the second almost annoying. These gestures were but small reminders of his erotic prowess, the real pleasure had between them when fully in the marriage bed. She glared at him as a smile moved even more brightly across his face, sending a third surge into her. Darcy ached and shouted furiously, now clawing at his back, demanding that he cease unless he intended to join her. He laughed and released her jaw, grasping her gently by a handful of dark hair at the back of her head. "Say it nicely," he said. "And with the proper title."

"Take me, whatever you want from me, just take it!" she shouted furiously. "It's yours, all of it, all of me!"

"That's better, but . . ." he began.

Before he could move or speak further, Darcy pulled herself forward, pressing her cheek firmly against his right shoulder and whimpering pitifully. "Please, my liege, whatever you want, it's yours!" she pleaded, her voice quivering. "Please just end my suffering, this blissful suffering, I can take no more!"

"Oh, I do hope that isn't true. I can't very well promise you no more," he corrected, swiftly bringing them into equal nudity. Darcy inwardly thanked all the powers that be for having a husband familiar with the most powerful magic on earth, it made things so much simpler. He eased her back onto the soft, cool ground and slowly, gently urged his magic staff into her cavernous sanctuary, undulating with the tide of lunar passion. As he pulled her up against him once more, burying his magic deep within her warm shores, she gasped and cried out gratefully, clutching him tightly. "I can, however promise you no less."

She felt the raging tempest within her, already having swollen to a crest, ready to devour a massive frigate, only to recede hungry and whet for a ready vessel. He sank deeply into the warm cove, diving well beneath the surface and rhythmically rising for much more than air. The two met one another's timing perfectly and, after several graceful moments of further exploration, liberated one another's express desires. The two cried out in unison, their voices fading into labored breaths that pleaded with the other to breathe for them after such an exquisite task. Seamlessly they obliged one another, their lips and breath drawing the other in and filling them with precious inspiration. They slowly relaxed onto the mossy forest floor, gazing up at the full moon with widened, loving eyes. Darcy was exhausted and found herself falling into a fast and wondrous sleep beside him. Loki took her into his arms, resting her head against his chest and laying his cheek atop her crown. He was comforted, he was powerful, he was complete with her beside him.

"I had almost forgotten these past months," he mused, kissing the top of her head. "Just how beautiful you are in the moonlight."


	59. A Gift Horse in the Family

_(((Final chapter tomorrow . . . this is kind of bittersweet for me since I've had so much fun creating this and learning things about the figures my siblings and I played with as children that I didn't know before like the one you're about to read.)))_

Chapter 59: A Gift Horse in the Family

Heimdall stood proudly outside the refurbished chamber at the edge of the Bifrost. It had been most satisfying to have both the bridge and his position restored to their full glory. His sight and hearing had magnified in trying to see from a greater distance than the long bridge, but he still hadn't managed to acquire what was necessary to penetrate Loki's magic. It occurred to him that he would need to inform the All-Father that he would be at a loss for trying to locate the sorcerer and any others with his power. As he contemplated this, a flash of something familiar moved beneath him on Midgard. He turned and concentrated his full prowess on the display. A broad grin crossed his features and he quickly summoned one of the palace guards. The king and queen needed to know that their younger son would be arriving shortly and he could delay letting the king know of any weakness in locating him now. The messenger that hurried into the royal family's inner chambers spoke to Odin as quietly and privately as possible, detailing to him that, for whatever reason, Loki and a human woman were asleep in his quarters and that Heimdall had told him to relay the message when he saw the two coming. Odin nodded solemnly looking back at Frigga, sound asleep. The news could wait until morning, he decided. It had been his experience over the past few months, no, years, that Loki was easily frightened or angered into leaving and that by morning any frailties would've been done away with. Then the family could reunite and whatever mortals were left clinging to his sons could be dealt with.

(*)

The sun rose over the kingdom slowly, too slowly for the remaining prince in Asgard. Thor had been anxious after hearing about his brother's intention to pay the kingdom a visit. It was peculiar that Odin had decided to forgo any emphasis on what were obviously crimes against the kingdom and the human race at least in Thor's mind. Darcy would've been more than pleased to see that the All-Father was keeping his oath of doing his utmost to not deter his younger son from returning home with threats and violence. Jane stood beside Thor having gone back to earth twice for a few weeks to continue work. The prospect of this being an ongoing practice made the older prince weary just thinking about it, but then he couldn't hold back the mind of a woman of science especially from the realm she intended to study most deeply. As the two watched the sun beginning to rise a daunting figure in the distance caught Thor's attention. His eyes widened in shock, fear, and finally anger. He placed a hand on Jane's arm commanding her to stay put as shock and fear filled her as well. He gripped Mjolnir tightly and moved forward, ready to fend off the approaching figure . . . the fire demon, Surtur. Surtur glared at the sight of Asgard, glistening in the early light and roared furiously, stirring the entire kingdom all at once.

(*)

Loki sat upright at the sound his heart pounding as he stirred. Darcy groaned and shifted, sitting up on her elbows as well and yawning. She suddenly noticed that they had made their way indoors and it didn't seem like they had gone back to her cousin's building or any other nearby structure in New York. She frowned and looked over at her husband who seemed more anxious than ever. She reached out to take his hand as Surtur roared a second time. She recognized the sound and it sent a chill through her. Her eyes immediately went back to the trickster and she looked at him with concern. She knew that he had attempted to do away with the demon and that he had agreed to repay someone that he had refused to describe to her. Last night it hadn't seemed that important to ask, but now she wished she had pressed the issue more urgently. The younger prince dressed quickly and begged Darcy to stay put.

"You still haven't answered my question, I asked you if that was what you needed to take care of before you came back for me yesterday?" Darcy asked urgently a second time. "Where are my clothes?" she asked more casually. The trickster summoned energy and strength from their home, placing one of the sets of clothes she had kept for herself on the bed. She dressed just as quickly and stared at him. "What's going on? You still haven't said anything."

Loki sighed heavily and closed his eyes. He contemplated telling her everything right there and then; the debt to Surtur and his agreement to deliver his firstborn to him. Another roar shook him free of this and he hurried to the door. Darcy darted out in front of him and caught him firmly by one arm. He groaned and turned back to her with an unyielding urgency of his own in his green eyes. "Stay here, I will return for you when it is safe to present you to my mother and father," he said firmly. Darcy frowned at him and clutched his arm more tightly. "I haven't the time to explain anything."

"Yes you do," Darcy countered. "Is that the fire demon that came after you in Manhattan yes or no?"

Yet another roar shook the trickster uneasily. He huffed and turned back to her impatiently. "Yes, yes it is the demon that followed me to Midgard," he said quickly, trying to pull away. Darcy released his arm but quickly followed him. She wasn't about to give him the opportunity to let him lock her in this room. She now recognized the gold-work in the furniture and walls here. This was Asgard for sure and why he had brought them here without Gaea was most unsettling. A thought came to her and she hurried after him even closer. He cursed having summoned her clothing for her, at least her propriety would've kept her out of the way in the room had he been smart enough to leave her nude. "Stay behind me and say nothing."

"Oh my God," she whispered in horror and then harshly. "Did you just abandon our daughter on earth, is that what you've been up to?!"

Loki turned swiftly almost causing her to walk right into him. He glared down at her, several yards away from the throne room and that meant several more away from the exit. Darcy looked up at him in concern and anger. "Do not ever accuse me of such a travesty," he hissed sharply. She stepped back and watched him. "I purposefully kept her where she will be safe until we retrieve her."

"That better be in a very short matter of minutes," Darcy muttered as she followed after him. She felt him reach behind him and take hold of her wrist, realizing that it would take them far too long to traverse the entire palace. She felt them vanish as they stepped forward only to appear outside in the bright sunlight. In fact, Darcy could've sworn that the sun was right up at them as heat washed over them. She heard the demon's roar even closer now and halted, covering her ears and trembling. "This better be a nightmare."

(*)

By the time Loki and Darcy appeared a few safe yards away from the demon, Thor, closely accompanied by Jane, was standing not far and was obviously recovering from having been thrown a good distance further still clinging to Mjolnir. Both Darcy and Loki knew this at seeing the large crater and the line of disturbed soil where Mjolnir had dragged beside its master. Not far, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif also stood ready to defend but confused as to why this demon was making its presence known. Odin, uncomfortably accompanied by Frigga for the first time in a long while, also stood at a better distance away than his sons. Surtur noticed Loki's presence before anyone else and grinned. He took one great stride forward and stared down at the trickster and Darcy, now trembling but resolute, with excitement and sinister satisfaction. Loki put an arm protectively in front of Darcy which she took hold of instantly.

"I have come for my tribute, Son of Odin," Surtur growled. Darcy tightened her grip on Loki's arm and looked at him in concern. Thor stood along with the other defenders of Asgard and watched in confusion. "You owe me your firstborn, now give it to me and I will be on my way."

"What?!" Darcy shouted, turning to face her husband furiously and throwing his arm back at his side. "You promised him our baby?!" she shouted again, this time shoving him furiously as he sighed and rolled his eyes with ennui. Darcy saw the boredom and felt more anger than ever burning in her chest. "I hate you so much right now!"

"Well you're in exactly the right place to do so, aren't you? This just happens to be the foremost collection of people that hate me," he quipped back hotly.

"Oh really, more than the families of the victims of what you did on earth? I think this place might have some competition the more crap you keep starting in other realms!" Darcy shouted, shoving him once more which seemed to be the only feasible outlet for her anger at the moment. "You creep!"

"That's right Darcy, all of this is my fault and I plotted before I knew you were with child to get rid of her, that's exactly what I did, does that at all make sense to you right now?" he snapped. Darcy stepped away and looked to the side for a moment. She hadn't thought about that. He had gotten rid of the demon before he had known that she was with child. "It just so happens that Gaea is not my firstborn."

"Oh my God, you have other children?" Darcy said, her eyes growing even wider. Anger began burning once more behind them and she took three steps away, glaring at him. "You lied to me . . . you've been with other women besides me and that, that, that Sif woman!"

"I didn't lie to you, Darcy, I have only ever been with you . . . and Sif," he repeated sadly. Darcy frowned at him and folded her arms. "It's a little complicated, but perhaps it would be best if I showed you and satisfied Surtur all at once." Darcy lifted one brow, anger still seething under her cool, human exterior. Loki felt the heat and it pained him to see her so desperate and enraged. _You should have told her much sooner, you fool_, he chastised inwardly. _She would've believed you_. He sighed heavily and gathered a surge of energy directed towards the rest of the palace proper, summoning a living creature which he had not attempted to do for some time. To his relief, the magic worked well and quickly. In a flash, a grey stallion with eight powerful legs stood beside him. It reared back and whinnied proudly before taking a position beside the trickster. Loki stood calmly beside the stallion and patted its neck affectionately. It turned to him instantly, pushing its head against his shoulder and snorting comfortingly. He turned back to Darcy while glancing up at Surtur for a moment. "This is Signaes," he said. Darcy narrowed her eyes at him almost in sync with Surtur who shifted impatiently. "My firstborn."

"What?!" Darcy exclaimed. "You got a _**horse**_ pregnant before me?!"

Loki sighed heavily and placed a hand over the beast's forehead. It grunted in satisfaction and stood beside the trickster with an odd green glow in its otherwise black eyes. "I am not Signaes' father, Sleipnir my father's stallion is his sire . . . I am his mother," he explained slowly. This prompted another round of laughter from all of the Warriors Three and Thor. Loki turned and glared at Thor hatefully. "Not that this is important at the moment, but did you ever tell mother and father that you were the one that destroyed the fence and strengthened the mead?"

"What?!" Frigga shouted in similar fury and shock to Darcy's.

Thor grew silent as his friends continued to carry on. A look of horror crossed Frigga's features and a look of sheer anger filled Odin's. Thor looked away shamefully for a moment then, realizing that his friends were still laughing, turned and gave them a sharp look. The three instantly ceased any mirth and looked away as well. "I have already apologized to you once," Thor replied softly.

"Oh that makes everything go away for you, doesn't it?" Loki hissed back.

"Forget your petty little playground fighting, you were pregnant?! With a HORSE?!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Foal, when they are infantile they are referred to as foals," Loki replied coolly. "If I had given birth to a horse, even as a mare, I would've died."

"This is . . . just . . . unconscionable!" Darcy shouted. She shoved her husband against his chest harshly, inadvertently pushing Signaes away as well. "And WRONG!"

"I didn't hear you complaining about anything you read in my journals and I am quite sure I mentioned this. You did read all of them didn't you?" he asked with a smirk. Darcy stared back at her beloved dumbfounded. Surtur roared angrily as she stepped back and looked away, muttering that she might not have read every single page in its entirety. Loki grinned and moved closer to her, leaning down and whispering. "You didn't think I'd make a bargain with a demon regarding a child of yours or a proper child of mine did you?" he whispered. Signaes grunted in disapproval moving forward as he stood beside the two and nudged his pseudo-mother. Loki turned back to Surtur, gesturing to Signaes with feigned pride. "This is your tribute, Surtur. Though I cannot say I will not be pained to part with so lovely a child I must keep my promise."

"Keep your promise to yourself and your firstborn, _**trickster**_," Surtur sneered. "I will have nothing more to do with you!"

"Then leave this realm at once and do not return," Loki said firmly and loudly. Surtur snorted and turned to glance at Odin who seemed impressed and shocked by the display. Surtur grumbled and turned away, lumbering back towards the edge of the realm and cursing silently. As the form of the demon disappeared, the majority of the crowd that remained began to cheer. Darcy stood in one place, trembling with a mixture of anger and sadness. Loki turned back to her and reached a hand out towards her cautiously. "Perhaps I should explain all this . . ."


	60. Expanses Explained

_(((Not only did I want this to be a separate scene before I post the last chapter, but I looked at the word space and it would be well over 10,000 words to put all of what you're about to read and the very end together in the same chapter! I got to thinking about how Loki would feel in explaining the incident and Thor as well. As angry as the two might be at each other and as uneasy as the incident might make them in explaining it to their father, I do believe that they would be back to being 11 years old at the realization of it; I've watched guys that are quarreling, brothers, specifically, and if the right phrase or memory is jogged then the two will go back to the everything is funny as long as it's naughty and both of us are awesome kind of age. It's sad, but it's also a defense mechanism to keep them from completely destroying the planet!)))_

Chapter 60: Expanses Explained

"Let me see if I understand this correctly," Odin said between fevered breaths as he grasped his brow in frustration. Both his sons finally stood, or rather, knelt before him as he paced back and forth in front of the throne; a task which seemed unusually easy for the trickster given the circumstances. Darcy, who had turned away from him as he had tried to speak to her, was now probably with Frigga and Jane. She had stormed back into the palace, crying silent tears as she moved which had prompted an equally unsettled Jane (after calling Thor a name too inappropriate for Loki to remember enough to repeat) to head after her muttering about men being perverts. Frigga had promptly followed after ordering her husband to 'sort it out quickly' and then make peace. Now the two knelt before their father, alone in the throne room, as the All-Father tried his best to compute the situation, being terribly upset by the appearance of Surtur. "You two lied about what happened that night; to both your mother and myself. You broke the pen, took out after Sleipnir, turned into a horse, got him back in the pen, and then let yourself be seeded with an abomination?!" he turned, shouting the last few words at both sons at once. Both winced inwardly and outwardly at his tone and volume despite muttering 'not in that order' and 'it wasn't that simple' respectively. "Which one of you started the whole incident?" he demanded and then turned to glare at Loki. "As if I have to ask."

"Not every travesty that befalls this realm is my fault, Odin," Loki replied angrily. The All-Father halted and turned to the youth more infuriated. Loki had never seen this kind of anger before in his foster-father's eyes and it truly frightened him. He quickly pointed at Thor as if they were no more than a few years old once more. "It was him."

"You had more than a hand in it yourself," Thor muttered angrily.

"Enough!" Odin shouted and stood over Loki, glaring down at him furiously. "You will address me with the title I deserve, boy."

Loki stood slowly, glaring back and feeling all the more empowered now that more truths had been revealed. "Very well then, Captor, as is the title befitting a creature that absconds with the offspring of another," Loki retorted. Odin grabbed his shoulder tightly and pulled him close. The trickster winced in pain and frowned as the elder spoke softly and firmly.

"Whether or not you are at this moment grateful for the home I provided you with, you will not show disrespect to me," he corrected sternly. Loki turned and glared at him. "It might be a cold day in Muspellheim before you ever call me father again, but you do not behave as if you have any right to use any title of disrespect. You have been forgiven worlds of transgressions because of that mortal and I will keep my word to her. But I warn you, boy, that if you disturb this or any other realm in any way in the future I will make you regret breathing your first." Loki turned and glared back solemnly at the man's words and promise. At least from that he could discern that he had been forgiven up until now. He nodded slowly. Odin released him and strode back to standing before them both. "Now tell me what happened exactly, and this time be clear about who was doing what and bear in mind that I am in no mood for any more of your quarreling, either of you."

"We had too much mead, both of us," Loki said with a heavy sigh. "And for reasons even I cannot remember we began brawling."

"And in the duel somewhere we ended up outside the stables and I accidentally threw Mjolnir through the fence holding Sleipnir," Thor added, wanting to take his responsibility in this as quickly and painlessly as possible. "And Sleipnir bolted at the sound of the thunder that followed."

"And we both gave chase after him but neither of us was fast enough," Loki continued still annoyed to be recounting the tale to Odin which he had hoped never to do. "I was led to the conclusion that the only answer was to take off after him using magic," he added, giving a furious glare to his brother and then turning back to their father. "So I became a mare to lure him back. Unfortunately as I lured him back he overtook me and both of us tumbled into the pen . . . with Sleipnir atop and, well, then . . ."

"I repaired the fence and helped him over it as he returned to a proper form," Thor added just as quickly as before. "And in the morning we realized that something else had happened."

"So you disappear, both of you, for a few weeks leading your mother and I to believe that you're off doing something decent for your own kind and you come back with a foal . . . that happens to be my grandchild?!" Odin recounted the rest of the story, remembering the strange number of occasions where the two had spent more time than necessary away from home on missions to defend the realms. At the time the All-Father had dismissed Frigga's concerns and his own, attributing this to the two being young and liberated. _All too liberated_, he thought to himself begrudgingly. "Did you intend to keep this from me forever?!" he demanded. The two looked at one another and then back at their father in unison replying 'yes'. Odin growled and grasped Gungnir more tightly. "Of all the reckless nonsense you two created, the reason I separated you two during your last few years of training to begin with, you bring this news to me! Is there anything else I need to know about? Hmmm? Any half-ogres with my bloodline?!"

"Well, if that's as upsetting to you as it seems to be then perhaps I should also mention the . . . well, let's see now, there was the time I became a stag on Vanaheim when you sent us to interrupt that dragon, but the fawn I sired died of something catching in the early spring," he said looking into nothing in particular as if listing off a series of careers on a resume' and not at all a ledger of family shame. "There was a serpent I sired on Midgard, but in all fairness it did get eaten shortly after it was born. And . . ."

"A dwarf on Nidavel," Thor added.

"What?" Loki asked, glancing at his brother.

"When we went to retrieve Mjolnir you paraded yourself as a she-dwarf to distract their craftsman," Thor replied calmly.

"I was never actually with that dwarf and had you stayed to ensure my safety after retrieving your precious hammer you would've known that," Loki corrected quickly. "But there was also a wolf I sired and named Fenrir on Svartalfheim and again that one was killed by their residents only two years into it's life and I thought it best left alone."

Odin stared at Loki expressionlessly for a few moments which caused the trickster to suddenly look down although it was quite clearly not out of shame for the moment. The All-Father then walked slowly over to his firstborn, glaring. "What part of look after your brother and keep him out of trouble was too great for you to accomplish?!" Odin shouted furiously.

"I did everything within my power to . . . " Thor began.

"No, you very well did not," Loki interjected quickly which sparked an immediate verbal onslaught from both.

Odin shouted furiously, slamming Gungnir into the ground once more. "Do you have any idea what kind of shame you've brought to yourself, to your family?!" he shouted walking over to the younger again. "What could you possibly have been thinking to have gone through with it the first time . . . as a female . . . and then again . . . with other creatures?!"

"There's nothing that can change what's happened and I am sure that all of that is behind us," Loki replied quickly, not wanting to admit that distracting other creatures from their paths and siring offspring had actually become a source of betting for the two for a short time. That would only make the old man angrier and remind the trickster that he hadn't always been the more intelligent of the two in every situation to observers. "I did say 'no' the first time," Loki offered.

"No, you didn't," Thor corrected. Loki turned to him with more than irritation on his face. Thor smirked. "But you said 'nay'" the older added. The two stared at each other in silence for a moment and then, unexpectedly and inexplicably burst into laughter.

"Do you think this is funny? Is this a jest to both of you?!" Odin ranted, standing between the two now more furious than ever.

"It is amusing that he would remember me in fact mentioning that very fact after all these years," Loki replied as the two quieted down. It had been traumatic going out to Midgard to properly give birth to the horse and Thor had stayed beside him, one of the few times that he could remember his brother being entirely attentive, repentant, and very gentle with him. The comment had been made to lighten the mood and followed by Thor's responding that 'nay' means something else to a horse entirely and that explained the whole incident. "And. uh, I seem to recall another comment about not wanting to tell you for fear of being nagged about it and I responded that I knew nagging well enough to endure it having been one," Loki added before he and Thor went right back to laughing. "A nag, that is, not something else then, but it is most amusing that he remembered."

"It certainly is not; there is nothing amusing about any of this, nothing! Do you hear me?!" Odin shouted, glaring from one son and then to the other. The two glanced at one another again, memories of those days following after one another in adventures, games, dares, and secrets from their parents suddenly came flooding back. Thor felt a great relief wash over him as a look of affection, genuine affection, moved across his brother's features. "Now, there is never to be another word spoken of this, or any other of your sordid exploits, either of you!" he commanded sternly.

"The mortals already wrote their own legends about it," Loki said with an odd tone of pride. Yet another testament to his perverse need to cause discord in the family, and now it would eat viciously at the back of Odin's mind . . . forever. Odin growled low and turned slowly to Thor who looked away. The All-Father knew that the only way mortals would've had access to those things enough to have created more legends was to have been told of them during one of the times his sons and their companions had visited the realm after him. Mortals had been told, but the All-Father and his queen had been denied? Odin would have words with his older son and none of them were going to be pleasant, Thor could see that clearly in his father's one good eye. "I suppose you're going to dole out some form of punishment befitting the crime of yet again disappointing you?"

"You, sir, have reparations to make with your mother, do you hear me? Your _**mother**_, the one that wanted to keep you in her arms and suckled you long past a time I would've fed you, you biting ungrateful little guttersnipe," Odin retorted. Loki shrank back a few inches realizing that while he had faced the impending heat of Odin's wrath, he had yet to address the sorrow and heartache he had caused Frigga after all that she had done for him. He sighed and looked down, this time showing remorse and shame which Odin took more than a measure of pride in. The All-Father turned and pointed firmly at Thor and then towards his private study. Thor slowly stood and left the room, glancing back at his brother once more. Their family was closer to being whole, but he feared that if things continued as they were, this was the closest they would be to it. Odin turned to leave the room, gripping Gungnir tightly. "Of all the stupid, reckless, inconceivable . . ."

"Not inconceivable else that stall in the stable would be empty," Loki corrected from a distance. Odin halted, turned immediately and stormed back over to him. The wrath in the old man's eye was ferocious and Loki stood, stumbling backwards and raising both hands defensively.

Odin raised Gungnir and placed the tip at his son's chest firmly. "Learn to be silent when it is due, Loki, or by The Creator of All, die trying!" he shouted. The younger nodded timidly as Odin stepped backwards. "And don't you go off thinking that this new mortal of yours is going to get you out of trouble whenever you've stepped back in it, and I know you will, because she won't! There's only one person in all the nine realms capable of redeeming you from that much impudence and I might kill him tonight, depending on what else the two of you got yourselves into that I know he's still keeping from me!"

"Thor laid with an elf on Midgard and Svartalfheim," Loki added. Odin shouted as angrily at the younger as he had when banishing Thor to begin with. Recognizing the fury, Loki stepped backwards and raised both hands again. "You're going to find out sooner or later . . ."

"I told you to keep silent," he replied in a low and deep tone. Loki nodded slowly. Odin turned and walked back towards the door. He halted at the exit and turned back to Loki still furious. "And before you start back into that marsh of self-pity you've been wallowing in for the past who knows how many years with that bitter whining of yours that nobody loves you, remember that I am leaving you alive this night when you clearly wanted death." Loki nodded and lowered his head. Still not satisfied he stormed back over once more and glared at him with one tear gleaming in the corner of his eye. "_**I**_ love you . . . you impish little cretin, and for reasons I wish I could remedy I fear I always will, and my wife with me."

Loki looked up, a tear of his own gleaming in his eye as he stared back at the complex creature he both loathed and respected both with tremendous vigor. He breathed deeply and nodded as Odin turned once more to leave. As the old man reached the door it occurred to Loki that he not only wouldn't have the last word, but his adopted father would be leaving in anger and this was something that didn't seem right at the moment. "Thank you," he suddenly called out. Odin halted and glanced over his shoulder at the youth. Once he found the voice behind the words simple enough to convey so deep a message, Loki finally spoke again. "Thank you for sparing me, All-Father."

Odin growled and left the room before any further exchange could take place. Clearly the boy was in a better way than when he had last left, but there were more pressing issues to think about. As he stepped out of the chamber, Loki shook his head and sighed heavily. There would be no escaping the situation now and he still wasn't sure what to do about Darcy. He groaned and rubbed his head trying to think of how best to approach not merely a scorned woman, but a frightened mother as well. He had given Darcy reason yet again to fear for their child and, again, he was entirely at fault for it before he had intended to cause any damage. He glanced around the room trying to think of something, anything to say to make this right. For a short time he was too distracted to think about what Odin had told him he still had yet to do. He groaned even more loudly at the thought of dealing with Frigga, or as he would have to call her here . . .

"Mother?" Loki whispered as he stared into the face of a nearby golden pillar. The metal reflected light and shape which had once mirrored his own image and now held that of the pale she-elf that had died in Jotunheim in his vision.

His breath caught in his throat as he stood and moved toward the image as if in a trance. The image grew more clear, this couldn't have been his imagination toying with him after such a difficult ordeal. She seemed to hear his thoughts and smiled brightly. As he reached the image and held a hand up to the reflection, he suddenly noticed that the back of his hand had turned blue. He gasped and withdrew his hand, studying it for a moment as he tried to understand what had just happened. He was sure he could have heard the reflection say 'until the very end . . . always close, closer than you think' as she had done in his infancy. Tears filled his eyes as he willed his Jotun form to disseminate. Marya frowned and turned in the reflection, walking away and shrinking into the golden distance. Loki breathed sharply and grasped either side of the column. Part of him wanted desperately to know this woman, the one creature that he had never been given the benefit of confronting for his misery and he was sure that once he knew her everything would make sense, everything would fit together. As the image disappeared, he sunk to the floor and hung his head, sobbing a little at the thought of being an orphan for the first time. He continued to keep both hands on the pillar and sobbed a little harder at realizing that once again his world was too topsy-turvy to handle again and that there was very little he could do to undo the trouble he had caused for the one creature that had chosen to love him as she had, Darcy, the mother of his child. He shook his head clenched one hand into a fist, still laying it against the column. A soft hand suddenly found its way onto his shoulder and he froze. A smile crossed his lips as he recognized the form of another one of the few people that could sneak up on him. As much as he wanted to know Marya, her story, and especially her voice, this creature had already given him everything Marya should have and so much more. She was the key in retrieving Darcy this time, she would have to be. He reached up and clutched the hand tightly as he felt her kneel beside him.

"Mother," he said more loudly and turned, once and for all, to face the first woman who had loved him more than herself. Frigga looked back at him emotionlessly for a moment and the trickster's heart sank. Perhaps there might not be an answer to this, he thought. Perhaps there was just too much done to damage the fragile affection of these women. No, he would just have to humble himself in a way he truly loathed and was very unaccustomed. He gripped her hand more tightly, allowing a tear to roll down his cheek enough for her keen ears and eyes to catch. "I am so sorry."


	61. Here and Home Again

_(((((Thank you, everyone, and I look forward to more work with this site and writing in general! There is another Loki/Darcy fiction I'm working on called '**Kindred Captives'** that explores more about the idea that Thanos was mind-controlling Loki and explores a little more of his cruelty before he is redeemed. Not to mention there's more taser-action! There is also a brief three-part sequel to this story called '**Kama Loki/Sacred Darcy or The Five Dharmas of Midgard'**. Keep reading and keep writing!)))))_

Chapter 61: Here and Home Again

Loki smiled slightly at Frigga, sensing the tenderness that she still harbored for him. Darcy was the only creature that had truly felt love for him, an intimate and tender love, but Frigga had been the only creature and the first creature to show him entirely selfless compassion and unconditional affection. Even after he had said something truly hurtful on a personal and deeply disturbing level, but she still loved him and wanted him at her side as her son. She gently stroked the side of his face as he closed his eyes, placing one of his hands over hers and savoring the blissful love she exuded. He drew in a slow, sharp breath and opened his eyes. Shock filled him as he looked back into the face of not Frigga, but Marya.

"Impossible," he whispered in sheer disbelief. The woman smirked and softly stroked the dark hair away from his ears. Loki remained perfectly still as she reached forward and very gently stroked the edges of either ear upward until they once again formed their natural pointed tips. Darcy had seemed completely intrigued and attracted by this, but the sight of his birth mother was utterly confusing and it made his heart ache terribly. "What's happening? Am I going mad?" he whispered to no one in particular.

"Oh, I suppose that's enough," Marya's visage said. In an instant it slowly melted into the form of Frigga and she gazed back at Loki with a triumphant smile. Loki now realized that the woman he wanted desperately to confront was no more than what had just transpired . . . an image, an illusion and something he would probably need years to speak with. Frigga, however, had spent his entire infancy and childhood feeding him, clothing him, cradling him, and soothing the pains Thor and Odin and any number of the other Asgardians had caused him. She was his mother regardless of her blood relation to him. She would've shed blood for him and had shed tears, that was enough even with this deception she had made. Clearly she had also made the image on the column that had disappeared. He gasped and suddenly clutched his chest, staring at the woman in disbelief. She moved forward and cupped his chin in one hand, grinning brightly. "You're not the one with a great deal of magic in this kingdom or in this family," she said playfully then patted his cheek affectionately. He finally steadied his breathing and grinned brightly.

The two embraced tightly for several moments, simply clinging to one another's presence. Frigga softly stroked her son's dark hair, content and so very deeply pleased that she was in her arms yet again. Not only in her arms, but he was back to the way things had been before the coronation had gone awry, so tender and very much an affectionate son. While Frigga had known Thor first, she had secretly (and in some instances for the observers in the kingdom, an aggravated Odin included) favored the trickster. His glistening green eyes coursing with a wealth of mischief, a broad and ever-pleasant smile, and he had such a magnificent way with words. How she longed to have that sweet child, that docile and delightfully kind prince once more seated on her lap as she spoke softly and cradled him with words and warm embraces, protecting him from the cruelty and cold of all the other realms. They released one another after a few moments and she appraised him, straightening his tunic at the shoulders and smoothing it down then gently pushing a few locks of wild dark hair away from his brow in the common fashion of a doting mother. He smiled brightly, still taken aback and at the same time comforted by her display of magic. It had a stern and poignant meaning that harkened back to the ache in her heart at being denied the title of mother, but it hadn't been done with cruelty. Indeed nothing he could remember throughout his childhood from Frigga had ever been done with cruelty even when he deserved punishment. He drew in a deep breath as he looked down at this incredible creature only a fraction shorter than himself.

"Well played," he said softly. He reached down and grasped both her hands in his own and squeezed them. "Mother,"

"I was so proud the day you first learned your transformation spell. Do you remember what you first tried to perfect?" she said as she turned, placing his hand over her arm and leading him down toward the exit, glowing with pride and the relief that her family was whole once more. "Do you?"

"It was a dove," he recalled, smiling just as brightly. "A wite dove with golden wings if I recall correctly."

"You recall correctly," she chuckled and patted his hand tenderly as they walked into the hallway and strode past the open windows and tapestries. It had been too long since he had been surrounded by such finery even with all of the magnificent furnishings on Sylvanheim little compared to the soft, gold cloud that floated from room to room in the palace of Asgard that was Frigga herself. She breathed deeply, clutching his hand tightly and stroking his fingers alternating the movements and enjoying every moment of it. "My favorite creature, you tried for days and by the time you completed the spell the first time it just wouldn't go away. I remember you perched on my wrist for hours, singing beautifully, so soft and lovely . . ."

Loki halted, bringing them to a complete stop and he turned her to face him. "Mother, I have done so many things, terrible things," he began anxiously.

Frigga reached up with her forefinger and pressed it gently against his lips as quickly as she could. "Sssssshhhh, that is past, Loki, It has all past and there is nothing to be done to change anything about it," she said soothingly. Loki marveled at her forgiving gaze and the genuine love behind it as she removed her finger and softly stroked his face with the hand instead. "That man, whoever he was, that took possession of you under the mind of Thanos is gone." Loki gave her a look of confusion and she smirked. "Thor told us much of what happened and he has warned us that your life will be sought. Your father is already hard at work rallying a force to be ready to face him when the time comes," Frigga said reassuringly. Loki sighed softly and shook his head. He couldn't believe how much this was smoothly passing by. Of course the majority of it was owed to Darcy. Had she not approached the All-Father so boldly he would've been chained and muzzled yet again. Frigga cleared her throat. "Speaking of your brother; your daughter's name . . . is that meant spitefully or out of respect?"

Loki looked back at his mother in confusion and frowned. "I don't quite understand," he muttered. Frigga gave him a stern look and searched his eyes carefully. Thor and Loki might've been able to hide much from Odin and the rest of the kingdom, indeed many of the Nine Realms, but there was nothing that could be hidden from Frigga. Her eyes widened as she stared into his eyes and then covered her mouth in shock.

"Oh my," she whispered. "You didn't know . . . it wasn't on purpose . . ."

"What wasn't on purpose?" he asked in genuine interest. Frigga shook her head and tried to dismiss the subject. He frowned. Frigga sighed heavily, knowing that she would not be able to keep this from the trickster any longer. He had a way of seeking things out and better he hear it from her and make an oath to be silent than from someone else before he used it against Thor. Loki lifted one brow at her. "Mother, what about Gaea's name would've been spiteful or respectful? And what does it have to do with Thor?"

"I suppose you would've found out sooner or later," she said with a sigh. The two noticed that Darcy and Jane were standing at the end of the hallway talking to one another, pleasantly it seemed. "Loki, do you remember when you and Thor fought within the Bifrost chamber before its destruction and you proclaimed that you only ever wanted to be his equal loud enough for the whole of Nornheim to hear?" she asked quietly. The trickster nodded slowly, still a little unsettled that she had been able to hear all of the exchange of cruelty and discord between them in that fight. Frigga looked away a little uneasy and then sighed heavily. "Well, in one respect you are . . . entirely equal," she said cautiously. Loki gauged this with intrigue. What had the queen been hiding all these years from their precious Thor? He felt absolutely giddy at the thought that something had been kept from his brother as well. A wicked part of him truly hoped it was something dreadful, more dreadful than being adopted. Perhaps he had been born a dwarf and many enchantments had to have been used to make him appear Asgardian and that someday he would deteriorate in the shriveled form of a dwarf or a Svartalf. Frigga cleared her throat again and leaned closer to her younger son than ever before, speaking so softly that he could barely hear her. "Thor, well, Thor is . . . . Thor is adopted as well," she admitted in a hushed tone. Loki's heart leapt. Part of him was elated that the spoiled, pretty prince was just as much of an heir as he was and the larger, more compassionate part of him rejoiced that they truly were equals and in that sense brothers. Frigga clutched his arm more tightly than ever. "He is Odin's son, we know that for sure, but his mother was a Midgardian named Gaea," she added in a whisper. The trickster nodded, unable to hide his elated glow. Frigga suddenly tightened her grip even more, digging her nails into the leather and cloth on the trickster's forearm. He grunted in pain and looked down at her pleadingly. "You will not speak a word of this to him," she warned. "Not a word, do you hear me?"

"Yes mother," Loki whispered. He grunted again as the pain from her nails shot through the rest of his arm and wrist. She suddenly realized that she was causing him a greater deal of pain than she had wanted and relented at once, smoothing the wounds with her hand and willing them to heal. "I would never defy you."

"I know," she said softly and sadly, patting the side of his arm as she remembered how obedient he had always been towards her as a child and even now. Loki had infrequently disobeyed his father, but never his mother. "Of the two of you, as much mayhem and chaos that followed you there was always joy with it. And, even for as much trouble as you caused yourself, you never took to breaking things like Thor. How I miss those days. You were smaller then," she said as she glanced up, giving him a wink. "I could hold you and make the rest of the world go away."

"Well, as it happens," Loki said with a heavy tone as they approached the two young women at the end of the hall. Both had turned, folded their arms in unison, and glared at him in equal disdain. "The world will never go away. And now I have newer worlds, newer duties to tend to."

"Then I'll leave you to it until tonight. Your father will welcome your wife and daughter at court at a feast this evening, I will make sure of it," she said glancing at both young women as well. She appraised Darcy and leaned closer to her son. "And for goodness sake get her properly dressed and groomed; those Midgardian trappings are a disgrace for a woman of the court let alone a companion of a prince of Asgard."

"I will see to it that she has formal attire, mother," Loki offered. He turned and grinned brightly at Darcy, a renewed sense of joy overshadowing the shame and potential wrath he would face. "But she is never by any means a disgrace."

"Hmph," Darcy said turning back to the open window.

Jane approached him and he cringed inwardly as she stared up at him hatefully. "You know what bothers me, Loki? Huh? You know what really, really bothers me?" she asked. He thought for a moment, trying to think of how best to answer this. "It isn't that you tried to kidnap me, that you took my assistant instead, that you had your little visit to earth that ended in catastrophe, that you bragged about your little fiasco with Darcy unashamed, or even that you tried over and over again to hurt Thor," Jane replied hotly. She pointed back at Darcy with an even angrier expression. "It's that you made someone fall in love with you after you tormented them! She's not unstable, there's no Stockholm Syndrome there . . . no symptoms at all really. Yeah, I was kind of a crabby person to work with but I never did her any harm. You so don't deserve her . . . anyone if you ask me. But you know what really bothers me deep down is that out of everyone in your messed up family and your really messed up world . . . ." She raised herself even higher as she shouted the last few words. "You're the likable one!" And with that Jane stormed away, muttering to herself about commitment, dishonesty, and respect.

Loki shook his head and then cautiously moved closer to Darcy. She sighed heavily as he placed both hands gently on her shoulders, urging her to lean against him and forgive him with the simplest of gestures. "Your mother told me there were other creatures you . . . helped conceive," she said emotionlessly. He nodded although she couldn't see it. She frowned and slowly turned to him. "So I guess there's only one question I have to ask."

"Anything, my love, and I will share the secrets of the deepest cosmos with you," he purred. She continued to gaze at him harshly which made him stay still and cautious. She was looking at him and speaking to him, a god sign itself, but there was clearly something still troubling her that he wasn't sure of. He searched her eyes, still unable to sense it and with her increased anger, he was unable to read her mind properly. He furrowed his brow and frowned. "What is it, Darcy, what troubles you?"

"Is the horse coming home with us?" she asked with a slight childish whine. Loki felt a great weight lifted from his chest as if his brother had retrieved Mjolnir after using it to keep him in place. She looked at him with all sincerity and, to his delight, a complete absence of anger and a return to the inquisitive, compassionate, and innocent creature he had fallen in love with. "I mean, are you going to want him with you at home or are you going to want joint custody or whatever or . . . how is this going to work?"

He laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist. To his relief she didn't fiht him. Whatever had incensed her, Frigga had soothed it away and perhaps the sight of Jane had done her a world of good as well. He leaned down and tenderly kissed the tp of her head, lingering a moment and breathing in the scent of her hair and basking in the warmth against him from her. The two sighed and Darcy leaned forward, burying her head against his warm chest. "I suppose that would depend on mother and father as well as your wishes, my queen," he replied. Darcy grinned all the brighter at hearing hi refer to her so regally, so respectfully. "After all, I did offer him to them as a gift and the palace is just as much your home as it is mine."

"You know what would just be weird is if Gaea grew up with him then when she asks why we didn't get her a pony for her birthday we tell her because she's already got her step-brother," Darcy replied with a chuckle. "Wouldn't it be a total trip if we totally did that?"

"I don't think so," Loki replied with an equal smile and soft chuckle. "I believe Gaea will be told from the very beginning everything that was made to be hidden from my brother, my mother, and the All-Father. There should be no secrets, not even painful ones, in a family and certainly no jests at the expense of such a hapless creature."

"Spoil sport," Darcy teased. Loki breathed deeply in relief yet again. Yes, whatever Frigga had said to her it had assuaged all anger and fear. The two quickly exchanged a series of kisses on the face in various places and then looked back at one another in satisfaction. "So, we need to go and get Gaea, get dressed, and I guess get ready to make this whole thing official."

Loki nodded and summoned a pair of maid-servants commanding them to leave an array of gowns in his bedchamber. "You can choose from them at your leisure. There is no call for you to do above your own desires even in this kingdom," he said with an air of confidence and pride. "You are Queen of Sylvanheim and the wife of a prince, the most recent King of Asgard. You answer to no one and no protocol is so important that it exceeds your right to happiness."

"I think your parents might disagree," she corrected as he took her by the hand,

He began to lead her back out through the entrance to the palace so that they could leave and retrieve Gaea quickly and carefully. A guard stopped them and bowed quickly, snapping back to attention and nodding to his prince and former sovereign. Loki lifted one brow at him. "What is it?" he asked.

The guard placed his fist at his chest and bowed once more. "Heimdall sends me to tell you that your journey to Midgard would be unnecessary," the guard replied. Darcy tensed at those words and gripped Loki's hand tighter.

"And why is that?" Loki asked, clearly irritated that the guard hadn't explained why to begin with.

"He says that the child, the princess, has already been retrieved," the guard replied with a bow.

"What?!" Darcy exclaimed. Loki caught her by the arm as she lunged forward at the man. It wasn't his fault that Gaea had been spirited away by someone else. Loki could only guess that it had either been Thor or their father that had retrieved her and he cleared his throat as Darcy began to shake with anger and fear. She breathed heavily and glared at the guard. "Where is she?!"

"In the palace here, your highness . . . er . . . my lady . . . . uh . . . .your . . . " the guard stammered uncomfortably.

Loki waved a hand dismissively. "Your Grace will do for now," he corrected. The guard nodded and looked back at Darcy uneasily as she turned and looked up at her husband in horror. Someone had taken their child without her permission, regardless of whom it had been, it was wrong. The trickster turned back to the guard. "And whose care is she in at the moment?"

The guard lowered his head. "I believe she is with the All-Father in one of the sitting rooms," the guard replied quickly. Darcy growled and broke free of her husband's hold on her, racing off into the rest of the palace. He sighed and watched her. She had no idea where she was going and had never known the layout of the palace itself. That mattered not to a mother seeking her child, of course, particularly her firstborn. Loki turned back to the guard and smiled kindly which made the guard a little more than puzzled. "Go and thank Heimdall for his message. You have done your service well."

"Of course," the guard replied quickly and nodded. "Thank you, your majesty."

The trickster nodded and then turned, hurrying off in the same direction Darcy had gone. He felt the air around him, searching for her scent and emotions. They were strong enough to follow for the moment and he quickly kept her pace as they led him to one of the large drawing rooms near the bedchamber of the king and queen. As Loki approached he noticed Darcy standing perfectly still in the doorway. He quietly, cautiously joined her and searched the room for whatever it was that had her attention. He grinned brightly at the sight that met him. Gaea had been brought back to Asgard alright, and now she was cradled in her grandfather's arms lovingly. It was strange and intriguing to see the stalwart and frightening form of the most powerful being in the Nine Realms cradling an infant in his arms, speaking tenderly to her. He had one hand over her now, allowing her to grasp his forefinger with her infant strength. He chuckled as she laughed brilliantly, glowing with joy at knowing this new creature that would be a significant part of her life from this moment forward. Darcy reached down and softly placed her palm against one of his intertwining their fingers as she pulled his hand to her heart and sighed.

"He doesn't seem so bad when he's not trying to put someone in a dungeon for magical items," she remarked. Loki smirked and squeezed her hand. She glanced up at him. "Is that how he was with you?"

"Yes," he replied quickly and quietly, "I expect he must have been." The smile on Loki's face both broadened and fell slightly. This tenderness, this affection . . . he remembered it. As cold and cruel as Odin had become during his older years and further in his childhood, the old man had been just as doting as his mother in the beginning. He leaned down to Darcy's ear and whispered. "Perhaps it was his taking hold of me that gave me the urge, indeed the strength and power to appear Asgardian and not anything else."

"He likes her," Darcy observed.

"And you as well which, believe me, is impressive," Loki replied. The two watched as Odin continued to speak softly to the infant, shifting her every now and again to either allow her to reach and stretch or to get a better look at her glowing jade eyes. "Come," Loki said, gently tugging at her hand. "We must prepare for tonight. As lovely as you are and as much as you are already loved by the royalty that matters," he said as they slowly turned and started for his quarters. "You still need proper attire."

Darcy leaned into him and placed a hand on his chest, sighing. "You know you're still not off the hook about not telling me about the horse or the demon, right?" she said, though without malice. He smirked and nodded. "Good, just checking. I'm not going to stay angry at you, that's like a full-time job with no benefits," she mused. He laughed a little at this as they reached his door. "But you owe me . . . big time."

"Agreed," he said as he grasped the handle. Darcy pushed his hand away and reached up, grasping either side of his face and kissing him deeply. He smiled suggestively as they finally parted an inch from one another's faces. "It will be one of the few debts I will gladly repay both presently and . . ." he looked her over as he opened the door and she smiled back, pulling a lock of hair coyly behind her ear. He slammed the door shut and embraced her tightly, kissing her more deeply and more affectionately than before while making the sultry hints of his growing desire known. "It shall have acquired a great deal of interest."

(*)

The feast itself was a magnificent haze for Darcy who only got to keep hold of Gaea for a few moments as she was introduced. Thor had been anxious to both see and handle his new niece. After Thor, Loki insisted that Volstagg take hold of her and accept the role that Darcy had described as 'Godfather' . . . a caretaker in case of a need for some sort of contingency. The warrior accepted gladly and seemed all the more jolly handling the child. Loki had noted the presence of Tapio in his bear form in the distance and, unseen by any of the others, had gone outside briefly to greet him. Still wary and shamed, Tapio simply warned his grandson that the Svartalfkind, the black elves, were angered at the promise broken to Surtur and the incident with the Tesseract. Loki tried to speak at greater length with his grandfather, even inviting him to come and sit with him in the hall, but Tapio had hurried away. Loki had solemnly re-entered the hall, his spirits lifted almost instantly by the merriment surrounding his wife and child. Tapio lingered in the distance and sighed. _Someday_, he thought, _someday I will know you and I will have peace again with your forgiveness_.

Darcy looked down at her flowing green robes, still unsure if all of this was real or not. She was sitting in the great hall of Asgard with figures from myths she had barely heard about as a child . . . married entirely and happily to the God of Mischief and having given birth to his first daughter, and now she was being blessed by the All-Father with immortality in the form of longevity (the only gift she truly asked for or wanted, not desiring any other powers or skills). Odin had remarked and recited the deeds that led him to the decision; Darcy's surviving an abduction away from Midgard, withstanding Loki face to face even in the presence of magic, surviving a magical wound, fighting a lindwurm both on the ground and from within its very mouth, and so much else besides. The night seemed like some sort of independent film playing out in grand colours, warm feelings, and unending delicacies. The only part of the night that seemed real at all to Darcy was Loki. She clung to him and, even when introduced to the all the others present, simply kept her eyes locked on him. When the time came to retire, Darcy took Gaea back in her arms and bid a fond and somehow detached farewell to these new acquaintances and in-laws. It was still too much to take in and she smiled down at her own child with disbelief. Only a year ago she had been a nerd at the mercy of an evil sorcerer. Now, she was a queen. Loki bid goodbye to his family as well, taking Darcy and Gaea both in his arms as they disappeared and hurtled towards Sylvanheim.

Thor, standing beside Odin, watched his brother depart and a twinge of envy for the happiness and independence the trickster was obviously enjoying filled him, but it made him smile not seethe. Jane was a good distance away talking with one of the scribes intently. Thor grinned at the sight of his own beloved and turned to his father who finally began to make his way back into the palace. "Father," Thor began, cautiously and as respectfully as possible. Even with all the good things the evening had brought he knew it must've been a strange and awkward burden to marry off one of his sons to a mortal, give said mortal longevity, and then welcome a grand-daughter that he had only just met into the court. Odin glanced over at his son, lifting a brow and waiting for the rest of what was to follow. Thor glanced back at jane for a brief moment and then continued. "Father, I know what you said when I first brought Jane to Asgard. But perhaps in light of this evening, of all that's been done for Loki and Darcy, you might reconsider . . . "

"No," Odin said slowly and firmly, staring harshly at his older son. Thor froze and looked at his father with a wounded expression. Odin pointed firmly at him. "Not on your life, any of it, will you be saddled with a mortal such as that one," he replied angrily. Thor started to ask why, but was cut short. "There is little, if any, courage or selflessness within her. I see no reason to bless her with any favor and in that sense she is beneath you." Odin stared even more harshly at his son, but with an undertone of correction and not cruelty. "You are heir to this throne. The woman you take as queen must be grand, indeed."

Thor frowned and looked away. It was useless to argue the point at the moment. He simply nodded. "Yes, father," he replied. Odin turned and walked slowly back into the palace. Thor turned back to gaze into the sky and shook his head. "You have no idea how wonderfully free you are, brother," he thought aloud. "How I envy you."

(*)

Weeks later, Darcy sat with Gaea situated neatly on her lap. After having settled everything with Loki's family, Darcy had announced that it was time to settle her own place and their dealings back on Midgard. Loki had commented that he saw no purpose in returning (though inwardly he still wanted the realm for his own, at least to toy with it). After that, a great sadness had overcome her and she pined daily, verbally about everything she had sacrificed for him, all the gizmos, conveniences, and opportunities to lead and help her own kind. Of course Loki pointed out that as queen on Sylvanheim she would have everything she needed and wanted as well as plenty of leadership and compassionate duties. Darcy still continued to sulk, the realization that she would have no semblance of the life she had wanted before meeting him had sunk in and it pained her. She loved what she shared with him, but she still couldn't see why she couldn't have both? Why she couldn't spend time on Midgard, particularly with a new and important living relative. This was, indeed, one of the reasons Loki wanted to avoid Midgard even with Darcy pointing out that Stark had just as much a right to enjoy Gaea's company and hers as his family did. The argument continued off and on for days until Loki finally relented and promised to consider the matter carefully and confer with both his father and a few others.

Darcy read aloud from a book she had specifically sought from the library with Brenhin's help that Loki had brought to her as a gift some months after Gaea's birth. Gaea was beginning to walk, but still fit perfectly in her mother's lap as she read aloud to keep herself busy as she waited for word from her husband about their future, or rather, her future and the fulfillment in it. Loki appeared after his conferring with Odin, Tapio, and even Rogers and Stark about the matter. He had come to a conclusion and was sure that it would please Darcy while still keeping her at a safe distance from the chaos and corruption of Midgard. He watched the two, smiling. For the time that had passed he had spent more time now than ever smiling and at peace than before despite the constant demands and turmoil of kingship, fatherhood, and being the mate of the most complex human in existence. He grinned and moved quietly into the room as Darcy allowed their child to touch the pages gently of the open book. Gaea stroked the pages gingerly as was her habit, to feel the words as she tried to mimic sounds, readying to read and speak them in the near future. Neither seemed to notice the trickster's presence as he stood patiently gazing at them. Gaea grinned and made sounds as best she could with each word that her mother spoke. Darcy chuckled and gently urged her to continue while still reading.

"Then the bird walked boldly into the court-yard," Darcy read deliberately and with a touch of excitement that Loki knew stemmed from having not heard the story before. He grinned and remembered having not only read it himself, but having mentioned in it his first days with Darcy. Who would've known that they would one day be seated in the library as a family?

"Though reeds be the cart, and frogs be the horses, this shall be the end of the Raja's greed," he quoted. Gaea and Darcy looked up at him. Darcy's expression fell a little and she adjusted her glasses noting that there was a small cut on his cheek representing some sort of scuffle. Gaea clapped excitedly and reached out to her father, he took her into his arms as he clutched her to him with a kiss. He looked back at Darcy with a broad grin. "I've come to set my Podni free."

"Podni's already free, you were supposed to just plot the flight patterns. You did work something out, didn't you?" she asked with premature disappointment. He sighed and turned to Gaea who contentedly laid her head against her father's chest. He shifted with her prompting her to pull away and face him.

"I spoke to my father and your uncle and two others that I . . . respect," he said slowly. Gaea yawned and leaned against him drifting off to sleep on cue at her naptime. Darcy slowly stood and walked over to him, looking at him sadly and examining the expression in his eyes. "I suppose you want to know what happened?"

"You know I do," Darcy said softly.

Loki sighed and stroked Gaea's head, moving a few steps closer to his beloved. "It will be difficult at first, but you have been offered the position of ambassador and diplomat," he announced. Darcy's heart leapt and she let out a tiny cry of joy, putting both hands to her face. "Asgard asks for your services as ambassador and I ask you on behalf of Sylvanheim . . . you will represent us to Midgard and their recognized summit of nations." Darcy let out a pleasant cry and threw her arms around him, simultaneously hugging both her husband and child to her in joy. He grinned, hiding an inward twinge of anxiety and disappointment. It wasn't the most exciting concept, having to return to Midgard with a wife that had duties to represent other realms. A smile crossed his face as Darcy began to describe how wonderful it would be to go back as often as they needed and what they could take part in together that she had either always loved or always wanted to do. _There is so much to interrupt, so many things to create pleasant diversions_, he thought to himself. _This is a marvelous thing, really, there is a whole realm of fun to be had . . .and Midgard will never expect a bit of it_.

"I mean doesn't that sound like it would be fantastic?" Darcy asked enthusiastically. Loki shook himself, realizing that he had been so engrossed in diverse tid-bits of ideas for causing mischief that he hadn't heard her. He gazed down into her tentative verdant eyes, glistening with pride and excitement. He smiled and leaned down, kissing her forehead.

"Oh, yes," he said. He glanced back at Gaea, then at Darcy, and then out the window into the sky that covered them in a shield from the worlds beyond. Regular journeys to Midgard, how delightful that would be, he would make sure if it. "As long as you are content, my queen."

Darcy smiled more brightly and embraced the two again. Like Frigga, she knew that she had seen the wheels of mayhem turning in Loki's mind behind his glowing eyes, but she didn't care at the moment. Brenhin had been right all along and she would never would hardly see a reason for it to change; Loki wasn't evil, just a creature of mischief and that would never change. Darcy laughed inwardly to herself at realizing that he would always be in need of her as well. After all, mischief loved company. Darcy drew in a deep breath as she clutched her small family to her. This was odd, yes, and it would be awkward at first, but this was more than she ever could've hoped for even with honors. This was paradise.


	62. FAQ's, Cast, and Creative Input

Chapter 62: FAQ's, Cast, and Creative Input

Those of you familiar with my work know that I almost always include a section that tells you who I 'cast' in my mind as the different characters as well as answering a lot of the questions I got from you, my readers, via email and messaging. Please never stop sending the questions, they are what drive my creative instincts! You were all so very awesome, but I must especially thank PsychoLlama for her drawing that she did for me that inspired me all the more, I must, must thank 'noukinav018' for the loyal reviews to every single chapter . . . what dedication and what an honor that was for me, and I must thank 'Aktress' for her messages of encouragement, kind words, and great feedback. I also thank 'Natural Selection' for catching the typos my editor missed! I really need that and your words of encouragement were also so greatly appreciated! Now, on to the cast and questions.

**Cast: **

Darcy Lewis – Kat Dennings

Loki Odinson (Laufeyson) – Tom Hiddleston

Brenhin – Kenneth Branagh

Master Eldred – Frank Langella

Jane Foster – Natalie Portman

Thor Odinson – Chris Hemsworth

Drifa – Mackenzie Foy

Odin All Father – Anthony Hopkins

Frigga – Renee Russo

Sif – Jaimie Alexander

Volstagg – Ray Stevenson

Fandral – Joshua Dallas

Hogun – Tadanobu Asano

Tapio the Bear King – Terrence Stamp

Django – Seth Meyers

Besnik – Bill Hader

Marya – Kelly MacDonald

Erik Selvig – Stellan Skarsgard

Nick Fury- Samuel L. Jackson

Tony Stark/Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr.

Steve Rogers/Captain America – Chris Evans

Pepper Potts – Gwyneth Paltrow

Heimdall – Idris Elba

The Norn Queen – Blythe Danner

Laufey – Colm Feore

Narfi – Judy Greer

Oski – Melissa Rauch

**Frequently Asked Questions: **

1). You seem to write a lot about villains; do you identify with them more or is this a coincidence especially here where Loki is a villain in two movies?

Firstly, that's a statement I disagree with semantically. I don't favor villains I favor anti-heroes usually because they were traumatized and brought to the edge by some misdeed from another person that was supposed to help them. In Loki's case, and in the case of watching Thor and The Avengers, I didn't actually identify with Loki as much psychologically in a sibling relationship as I did with Thor. Not bullying, by any means, but in the sense that they both did a lot of changing apart from each other and while Thor is excited to embrace the good parts of the changes Loki has made and welcome him home, Loki cannot wrap his expanded mind around his home changing. I think that's mainly because if he acknowledges his home can change then he must admit to uncertainty and that would drive him mad. In any case, I indentify with intellectuals and often the underdog, but as far as villains and anti-heroes I don't usually identify with them further than some part of their ideology.

2). How is it that Darcy manages to trick Loki? He's the God of Mischief so wouldn't he be powerful enough to see through her lies? Besides, didn't he see Jane and who she was when he was watching Thor from Asgard? 

Remember, Loki is not Heimdall. He was able to hear his brother's voice, but not see him. He knew from (quite probably) mind-reading that Thor had a woman that had changed him, that her name was Jane Foster, and that she was a woman of science. As far as gift of sight, Loki wasn't powerful in that regard. Case and point, any creature that can see that far ahead would probably be able to calculate failure better than he did. As for seeing through a lie, Loki landed on his head after a life of being on his guard mentally so I imagine once he's reached a conclusion, even if it's the wrong one, unless it can be physically disproven (such as the Hulk smashing him to bits internally) he will cling to it for dear life. I tried to convey frazzled proper senses since he's so used to using magic and extensions of himself. Any creature that is that easy unsettled yet meticulous and scheming would have to be detached and sensory detachment is what I think leads him to most of his failures; he can't sense his own weaknesses, the enemy's strengths, the environment he's in when he's not engaged in combat or holed up in a defense of some kind, or the minds of others unless he concentrates.

3). Loki is obviously more powerful than Eldred, so why does he serve him?

In one regard Loki is more powerful since he has Alfskind blood in him and Jotun as well, so his innate tendencies and intensities are increased. As far as knowing deeper forms of magic, he relied on being taught that by someone else. In the comics, Eldred was a dark sorcerer he met in a distant realm and became his apprentice. When he thought he no longer needed him he sold his master's soul to Surtur the fire demon and inherited all of his land and belongings (as per custom) and servants. Aside from the obvious, there's still more I could learn from him, notion I think he would feel in that regard, there's also a sense of paternal loyalty. Loki's biological father was absent and violent, his adopted father had swings from being tender and loving to being fierce and brutish, and his surrogate father (his master) was both constant and fair in the beginning. As long as the apprentice did as was asked of him, and I don't picture Loki questioning the motives of his master unless it suited him to do so on a very deep and personal level, then Eldred gave more than what was fair in return in allowing him room, board, and education. More powerful? Maybe. Unstable? Definitely, and that is the bigger issue.

4). Where did the idea for Drifa come from and why the name Drifa?

Sigdrifa was a Valkyrie associated with snow, ice, and frost. It's long been established that the motives of kings in legend were fueled by prophecies and that they usually met their fates on the roads they took to avoid them. I figured that Laufey, a seething and isolated type of creature, was not the conqueror that Odin was (this is even said in the series) and that the only thing to bring him to believe that he could rule over the nine realms or over earth would've been a prophecy. What better way to make a plot twist and turn than to turn an oracle into part of the prophecy (Drifa rules Jotunheim as the first part of the prophecy stated, the second was fulfilled in Loki's brief reign in Asgard) and the rune of revelations as the oracle itself? I looked up Norse names of the Aesir and Valkyries and which were associated with the colour white, ice and snow, or prophecy. Drifa is the diminutive form of Sigdrifa and means 'patch of white snow'.

5). Where did the inspiration come for this fiction since it isn't tied to your heritage like most of your others?

In my room after watching Thor and getting very angry. The only real villain in the film was Odin for lying to both his sons and starting the quarrel that ended in the destruction of the Bifrost and the destruction of the royal family. I watched it a second time paying close attention to Darcy and Loki, the two underdogs that were clearly mistreated by the people they obviously cared for. Darcy was fun and upbeat where Loki seemed more brooding and unpredictable. You would think that the God of Mischief would be more fun and that prompted me to ask, what if the notion of taking Jane (as he stated he would do to insult and hurt his brother in the film) turned into a similar failure at the start and he took Darcy who obviously knows the real meaning of the term mischief? I began looking back at a comic series I didn't really like (Loki was outright abused by his family in the series and Thor wasn't really a hero) and then saw an excerpt from 'Miss Austen Remembers' where Tom Hiddleston's character seems to fumble over himself after he tries to tell a woman of his affection and briefly allows himself to be irritated with both of them. I imagine that in the right circumstances, Loki's character would not only fall headfirst in love with a creature that could deceive him and prove she knew more about mischief and fun than he did (he would, after all, have something to one up and keep him busy there) but he would have had a similar reaction to a creature not like himself. That's where the first chapter began and originally it began just as a writing prompt to see if I could create within a realm that I'd never entered before but played in often as a child . . . Norse Mythology.

6). Loki isn't able to heal Darcy when she's injured, but he can use magic, that hardly seems right if he's powerful enough. Why can't he heal Brenhin, either?

This was asked no less than, well, by everyone that messaged me! In the Norse, Gaullish, and Celtic traditions magic existed in 2 types: dark and light. Dark meant more tied to the elements and physical realms while light meant of the mind, time, space, and higher or celestial beings, not necessarily good and evil. In each of those two types there were numerous practices which were performed and different sorcerers would often specialize in one or perhaps two types. Loki specialized in several, but healing was not one of them nor was scrying or divination. These are done on behalf of others and because of his upbringing Loki is a selfish character. As he states, he can make a healing stone, but he chooses to use the energy for other things.

7). Why is Loki associated with elves in this fiction? His mother, Marya, seems to be a little on the self-centered side; is that on purpose?

I don't see any female, giantess elf or otherwise, parting with their baby because of shame unless they were very selfish. I don't see a Jotun child, even a shape-shifting mutant, being able to transform into an Asgardian looking child for long or surviving among another race unless other blood was in him. Some people have speculated that there is actually Asgardian blood in him (Comic Spoiler: in the series he is, in fact, the bastard child of Odin and Laufey's wife Farubati) and the rest speculated other races including human. I think that the logical explanation would be the only race actually prone to magic that included shape-shifting itself, Alfskind. Yes, Marya's character is a little self-centered and she passed that trait along to Loki, but I imagine that a race that sees itself as being superior like all portrayals of the elves I have seen would definitely have a selfish streak in them.

8). I thought Loki gave birth to Sleipnir, not got impregnated by him. What does Signaes' name mean, anyway?

Signaes means 'shield of the Aesir' or 'shield of the gods'. I changed the genders and twisted the stories for these reasons: a) we're working in another fictional universe so there have to be some slight changes, b) classical mythologies are loaded with tales of strange impregnation because of a need to evade or escape such as Taleisin coming from Ceridwen in the form of a hen swallowing him in the form of a grain of corn mimicked by the wizard's duel from The Sword in the Stone, c) it fit more into a story about two brothers trying to undo a mistake before their father noticed . . . your kids sneak out, get drunk, and one of them comes home pregnant is a common story that brings shame to many a royal family except rarely is the pregnant child a son.

9). Who was your inspiration for this interpretation of Loki other than Tom Hiddleston himself?

Honestly? The Wizard Howl from the book Howl's Moving Castle. I honestly think that in a live-action version Hiddleston would make the title role his own. I also thought of some bits and bobs of my younger and older sibling that have the urge to be superior, prove their worths, and cause some consternation with a deliberate shock and awe effect from time to time.

11). Is that story they read at the end a real story or something you made-up?

_The Podna and His Podni_ is a Pakistani fable and I saw it in musical animation format on HBO's _Ever After: Fairytales for Every Child_. It was so beautifully done and played right after _The Magic Paintbrush_ from China. I thought that a story of imprisonment and rescue would suit the two of them perfectly and that the line spoken boldly by Podna when arriving at the Raja's palace would sound just incredible in his voice.

10). Why does Tony Stark lose it like that? He's usually calm and on top of things so this seems a little OOC.

In this interpretation I brought out that Darcy is distantly related to him and he has been without any good relatives since his parents were killed. The thought of having a relative especially when he's facing the blowback from the events in the Avengers and trying to have a stable, normal relationship with Pepper would've been such a blessing to the genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Then to have that relative ripped away by the same creature that tried to kill him on multiple occasions and broke his tower would've been devastating. Now, devastated and angry at the fact no one wants

11). Is that story they read at the end a real story or something you made-up?

_The Podna and His Podni_ is a Pakistani fable and I saw it in musical animation format on HBO's _Ever After: Fairytales for Every Child_. It was so beautifully done and played right after _The Magic Paintbrush_ from China. I thought that a story of imprisonment and rescue would suit the two of them perfectly and that the line spoken boldly by Podna when arriving at the Raja's palace would sound just incredible in his voice.

(*)

Thank you, everyone, and I look forward to more work with this site and writing in general! There is another Loki/Darcy fiction I'm working on called 'Kindred Captives' that explores more about the idea that Thanos was mind-controlling Loki and explores a little more of his cruelty before he is redeemed. Not to mention there's more taser-action! There is also a brief three-part sequel to this story called 'Kama Loki/Sacred Darcy or The Five Dharmas of Midgard'. Keep reading and keep writing!

Namaste'


	63. Epilogue: 8 Years Afterward

_(((This is for you, 'amidtheflowers', all for you. Thank you for the encouragement in messaging. Enjoy this and I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the othe fictions, too! Namaste')))_

Epilogue: 8 Years Afterward . . .

Brenhin sat at the desk in his private quarters gazing over one of the volumes of Sylvanheim's history and presence, the very first book he had given to Darcy aside from the trickster's journal. He sighed, stroking one of the pages that had been inked in furious rage, shaking his head. He calmly recalled the days he had spent while Loki was in his first years of apprenticeship and Eldred had called on the servant to act as a scribe for him to give him details of the realm he had taken for himself. Being Alfskind at one time, Brenhin had a great deal of inner-knowledge as well as the gift of far and fore sight. He had etched prose and some of his people's poetry into volume after volume in the library in both the tongue of Asgard, Alfsheim, and Midgard. This one was in Midgard's tongue, Loki's favorite and the one Brenhin favored as well. He smiled at remembering the innocent little mortal that had uneasily and yet so eagerly taken the books from him being the queen of this realm, the wife of the God of Mischief, and the mother of two children now.

Gaea Ashilda Lewis was now a full 8 years old and close to being a match for her father save for her ability to bat her gorgeous, large, green eyes at those furious with her and charm them into being soothed. Nearly two years ago, Loki had welcomed his second child and his first son, Volgundral Thorin Lewis, along with Darcy. Darcy had created the first name herself with Loki's insistence that their first born be named after the one citizen of Asgard that had remained most loyal to him, then the second, then the third each in turn. Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral had wanted to spare Thor from Midgard, but only Sif seemed to bear ill-will towards Loki himself as king. Thorin was also Darcy's insistence given that his birthday fell on the 22nd day of September and her favorite name from the books of the author honored on Midgard that Day happened to be Thorin. Loki accepted it and presented the notion to his parents and brother, married happily to Jane though competing with her work for affection almost constantly, that the name was an homage to the two kings of Asgard, Thor and Odin.

Brenhin smirked at the notion of their family growing even larger with names all the more strange and children all the more lovely. Volstagg had been given the role of Godfather by Darcy and Drifa was awaiting her first apprentice in Gaea after she came of age. Brenhin, on the other hand, had been blessed with the role of surrogate grandfather and his closeness to Gaea seemed to warm the cold and fill the void that had so long grieved him with Marya's death and Loki's suffering. He glanced down at the passage in the book he had written himself in lyric form as well as in the form of a prophecy though only a few of the facts had been spoken as facts by wise women; the rest were simply rumors fueled by anxiousness of citizens, but printed by the anger of a scorned elf deprived of his natural gifts.

"Your offspring will in discord be, The cause of all your misery; Born of royal blood and bone, Reared against their native home. Their powers shall surpass your own, And take from you your might and throne," a familiar soft voice quoted from the corner of the room. Brenhin closed the book as a very small pale hand touched his shoulder and its owner completed the verse. "Then you shall rise and reign again, But one will not forgive your sin. Crownless, throne-less, love-less, he, Brings Ragnarok as destiny. Then when all battles fought are done, You will survive; bereft of life and love." Drifa's large, white eyes, gazed coolly over the servant turned consul turned family. She smiled as he stood and bowed to her. She nodded to him.

"Your Majesty," he said with a regal nod of his own. "How fairs the realm of Jotunheim?"

"Well and well it shall remain. I have found many princes and princesses which have been delegated power their own . . . including Farubati," she announced. Brenhin frowned a little at the name. Drifa made no change to her expression. "She wishes desperately to meet Loki. She feels he is a part of her though he was never hers and believes she has much to offer him and his family. She also made it clear that he is the rightful king and she would much prefer to kneel before him than before an Asgardian."

"Loki is an Asgardian," Brenhin said with amusement. "Ask him, he will say it proudly."

"I know," Drifa said, still unsettled that Loki was beyond her apprenticeship. She had wanted to teach him many things, but he had attached himself firmly to Darcy and there was little need to teach a creature so fulfilled anything further particularly when he would always have her forgiveness even for his machinations on Midgard. She glanced at the book still on the desk. "Your humors have changed drastically since last you wrote in one of those books, particularly that one."

Brenhin looked over his shoulder at it and sighed. "I was very angry with the All-Father," he admitted. "So was Tapio. What an unusual tragedy that brought them together, but at least Malekith has been properly dealt with after parading himself as Django for so long. Stranger still that it was Darcy that revealed it to Tapio and Odin. The Svartalfkind will leave well enough alone on Asgard and they dare not contend with the new sovereign of Midgard's creatures. Nuada has a thirst for blood that even Thor never knew when angered. At least the Bifrost has been reinforced repeatedly in the meantime and Loki is no longer irritated with being asked to ferry Asgardian champions just in case of certain failures."

"Some of the words were prophecies, whispered in the halls of Asgard's palace, some of them whispered in the secret places of Alfsheim," she observed. "Prophecies reach fruition regardless of choice."

Brenhin shook his head and picked up the book under one arm realizing that she was speaking of Loki's alleged ties to Ragnarok. "He is not crown-less, nor is he throne-less," he corrected. Drifa smiled. "And he has never been love-less."

"Nor will he ever be, and yet Ragnarok came to pass in a manner Odin did not expect . . . at the hands of his son, but not the trickster. Few Asgardians realize that the destruction first of the Bifrost was all there will be to Ragnarok, but there will always be those who wish to have their fables of Armageddon. And what father is not plagued by the deeds of his children both to misery and pride? How common those prophecies were, so vague and yet too great for Asgard to grasp entirely," she said. "And you are glad now that the last of it never reached fruition?"

"Of course," Brenhin said softly. He harbored no ill will toward Odin even with the unkindness that had never been made right entirely. The royal family of Asgard was as whole as they would ever be and their reunions were something to behold. Thor had yet to produce an heir and with the two new additions to Loki's family Odin's wrath and disappointment continued to seethe against his firstborn's wife who he had never truly given approval to. Brenhin chuckled at thinking how useless Loki's jealousy had been in the end with far more power, land, authority, offspring, and even acceptance than Thor would ever enjoy. "But enough about the past; to what do we owe the honor of your presence, Drifa?"

She smiled and took a step towards him seeming to grow an inch and glow brightly. "I bring a gift from Karnila, the Norn Queen," she said with a bright grin. Brenhin stared back at her in confusion. Drifa clasped her hands together tightly. "A bargain was struck with her that in exchange for a few thousand years that would've otherwise been spent alone . . ." she said, continuing to advance toward Brenhin. He watched her carefully as she reached him and took hold of his hand ever so gently. A chill and then a familiar warmth moved through him. He drew in a deep breath and suddenly felt strange yet whole. Drifa grinned. " . . . that your birthright, your true form be restored."

"He did such a thing; for me?" Brenhin asked, choking back a few tears. She smiled and nodded.

"Yes, and he does not regret it despite the fact that it will be collected from him, very soon," she said almost sadly. Brenhin's eyes widened in horror as he still thought that it had been Loki that had bargained for him. Drifa bowed her head and sighed. "But at least Thor is ready to reign in his stead." Brenhin was unable to stifle the gasp at those words. The All-Father had given up years of life to restore Brenhin's rightful blood, his natural powers to their peak? "He said that being robbed of Marya must have been more terrible than knowing that Loki was not your son when he should've been," Drifa explained.

"Generosity to that magnitude is rare in Asgard," Brenhin remarked. He heard a loud, boisterous cawing and turned towards the open window. He saw the figure of a large crow hurtling towards the open window, unsteady on its wings and seemingly laughing as it flew. Brenhin turned back to Drifa who held up both her hands, forming a mirror long enough for Brenhin to admire his form once again. It was pleasant to see; his ears and eyes had returned to their proper shapes and colours. He sighed deeply as she put her hands down and gave him a look that signaled a need to leave quickly. He bowed to her. "I thank you for the tidings, your majesty."

"He will recognize the change, I am sure, but do pass on to him the message that Farubauti wants the pleasure of a visit from him and his family," Drifa stated calmly before turning and dissipating into an odd, snow-white mist.

Before the mist dispersed entirely, an enormous crow flew in clumsily through the window, cackling as it collided with the wall. The cackling ceased and Loki slowly returned to his proper form, painfully sliding to the floor in a heap and groaning. Brenhin frowned and walked over to him, appraising him as he lay unmoving. He had been to Midgard once again without Darcy's knowledge or permission to alleviate the urge for some other form of 'fun'. Brenhin shook his head and just watched the young king lying uncomfortably in a mass on the area rug which gave little cushioning to an already painful 'landing'.

"You can transport yourself throughout any number of all the realms in existence, transform into fish and swim gracefully, transform into a horse and romp majestically," he observed as he looked the trickster over with a reproachful tone. "And you can fly with or without the need of wings and transformation into a bird. But come time to make contact with the land again, that one most important part of flying itself, the safe return to terra firma, and you can't do it,"

"I just did it, Brenhin, whatever are you going on about?" Loki asked groggily, grasping the side of his head. He suddenly burst into laughter, not trying to stand at the moment. "It was most amusing, Brenhin, you should've been there!"

"You, your highness, are intoxicated . . . again," Brenhin said with a tone of anger. "Darcy will not be happy."

"But I have the best stories to tell her,. I know her sense of humor, Brenhin, I've helped shape more of it over the few short years of our union. I transformed each and every inch of the streets of the island-city where that irritating cousin of hers still keeps his residence, into frozen cream . . . all of it!" he exclaimed with laughter. Brenhin groaned and finally reached down, helping the trickster stand as best he could. He quickly took the chair at the desk and placed it behind the sorcerer in tie for him to plop backwards onto it. "And the oceans, the oceans, Brenhin! I transformed every whale, dolphin, and walrus into a great sea serpent! The aquatic militia of every nation were sent out after panic from the fishermen. It was marvelous, the chaos! There was confusion and discord in every mass of sea-men!"

"Yes, you should re-word that for Darcy's sake," Brenhin muttered, holding back both disgust at the trickster's condition and his words, both of which he seemed to be oblivious to. Brenhin sighed as Loki turned and leaned over the desk, folding his arms and lying his head down on the desk itself. "I take it you are still fond of their spirits for the tie being?"

"Only when they strong and sweet," he replied. He smiled wistfully. "Just like my Darcy, my beautiful Darcy."

Brenhin shook his head and turned to leave the trickster to come back to his senses as he took the tome back to the library and informed Darcy that Loki had come home. The excursions he made usually only took a matter of hours, but it was always enough time for trouble-making. Darcy was patient and even pleased with some of the stories provided no one was harmed, by her definition, in the process. Loki sat upright quickly and turned, staring at Brenhin in confusion. "Brenhin?" he asked. The elf stopped and turned back to the youth, waiting patiently for the rest of the trickster's inquiry. "Did something happen to you . . . something strange? You seem different."

"How so, your highness?" Brenhin asked with a smirk.

"You look . . . happier, happier than you've ever seemed before," Loki replied.

Brenhin smiled brightly. "So do you, your highness," he replied. The moment didn't call for a grand display of emotion at the moment, not while the trickster was still not at himself fully. As Brenhin turned to leave the room yet again he was met face to face by Darcy. He sighed and nodded towards the room and in the trickster's direction. The moment Loki sensed her presence, he stood and centered himself. "I'll leave you two to discuss where you've been."

"Thank you, Brenhin," they replied in unison. Darcy stepped into the room and looked him over, shaking her head. "You know, you keep downing Jaggermeiseter and someday you're going to fly home to the wrong planet," she warned. He sighed and looked down shamefacedly.

"I shall refrain the next time," he offered as she moved and took his hands in her own. "I promise."

"I know you better than that so leave the promise out of it," she said with a heavy sigh. She stared up into his green eyes and smiled, still bashful and overwhelmed with his beauty and grace after their years together. "What happened this time?"

"I'll tell you this evening," he said leaning down and pulling her into a tight embrace. "First, I tend to what I come back for," he said softly. Darcy smiled and clutched him tightly. He pulled her to him all the more, breathing and drinking her in as if she were made entirely of ether. She might as well have been having clouded his head and yet somehow alleviating all the pain in the world in him since he had landed on his head in the desert. "I will always come back, for this."


End file.
